At a Minute or Two 'Till Two, Today
by Kasey
Summary: Gene meets Fred; Harry meets Mel; they're still aiming for the Leyline, with a few stops along the way... (yaoi, het, and humor--what can I say?) Read the warnings for yourself...
1. Part One

Experience Outlaw Star fans:  
  
Allow me to beg your forgiveness. This is my first OS fanfiction, and as of yet, unfinished. The characters are as I see them, having only watched the series twice through. If you don't like the way I spell the names, that's your problem.  
  
This is a alternate time line fic, which means it does not follow the time line set by the actual series. Actually, it follows a similar time line, but at some point it breaks off into a paradox and becomes a different story entirely.  
  
---  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the pictures in my head. Original characters do belong to me.  
  
Warning: As of yet, this is an alternate time line fic, with yaoi (m/m), het (m/f), and humor. Small dashes of sap, language and angst thrown in for good measure. Pairings--wouldn't you just like to know? This fic reaches into the very edges of lime, but do not expect any lemons. If you don't know what that means, email me and expect to be embarrassed. Underage people are drinking--don't try this at home!  
  
Author: Kasey  
  
Archive: Not unless I send it to you.  
  
Status: Incomplete, self-edited.  
  
Key: /italics/ and *emphasis*  
  
---  
  
"At a Minute or Two 'Till Two, Today"  
  
---  
  
-Part One-  
---  
Jim sighed as the crew of the /Outlaw Star/ trudged up three flights of slippery steps. It was raining in Hayfong, in the planet's early Spring season, so it was cold. "I can't believe we're *doing* this, Gene!" he complained. "Especially in this weather... it just makes me feel worse. We just got here. Why can't we wait 'till morning, at least?"  
  
"Would you rather wait until he sends us a bill?" Gene asked back, stifling a yawn. "I don't like the weather any more than you do, but it's really time we paid him back." He slowed and looked around the landing they had finally reached. The Lowe estate was huge, with multiple buildings and many floors. "I still can't see how he can live in a place like this." Well, at least the awnings offered some protection from the rain.  
  
"That's just because *you* weren't born into an *upper class* family, Gene Starwind," Asjia sniffed. "If you *had* been, you would know how much *better* a mansion like this is, compared to that shack *you* call home."  
  
"Ah, shut up." Gene lifted his hand to grasp the door knocker, but the door was pulled away and he was bowled over by a green bathrobe.  
  
"*GENE!!!*"  
  
"Fred!" Gene grappled with the green bathrobe for a moment before it finally calmed down. Blue-black hair, mussed from sleep, tangled with his own and blocked his vision.  
  
"Gene! I'm so glad you're back! Do you have any idea how worried I was? You left without warning, just took the pay and left... then I heard about the attacks from the pirates, the military... I had no way to contact you, and you didn't call, or even send me a letter... Then my contact at Blue Heaven said you were there, and you were injured... why didn't you call?! Later I hear you're blasting away at thieves and getting branded as a pirate!" There was a split-second pause for breath. "Oh, I'm so glad you're back and alright!"  
  
Gene gasped for air, because Fred still had him in a bear hug.  
  
Jim shook his head. "We just got in, Fred. Gene's tired. He would have contacted you earlier, but we're still on the run from those pirates back at Gamma Centauri."  
  
"We didn't want to give our position away," Melfina spoke up, from behind Asjia. "But Gene wanted to pay you back the money you lent him."  
  
"Took him long enough to get it," Asjia grumbled. She was trying to twist the water out of her long braid. "All those jobs and half of them cost him more than he made!"  
  
Fred relaxed his grip on Gene, who was starting to turn blue. "You mean you just came to pay me back?"  
  
"Yeah," Gene grunted, rubbing his ribs. "We'll pay you back, rest for a few days, and head out again before the pirates catch on."  
  
"Then, by all means, come inside!!" Fred pushed Gene in through the open door. "How careless of me to leave you all out here in the cold." He closed the door once they were all inside. "I'll have the servants prepare baths for all of you, and late dinners."  
  
"Well, we have to get going--" Jim began, but Fred clapped him on the shoulder and grinned.  
  
"Don't worry about a thing. You can spend the next few days here, so you won't have to worry about being caught at work. I'll make all the necessary arrangements for the /Outlaw Star/ to be repaired and re-supplied."  
  
"Thanks, Fred," Gene sighed, his eyelids fluttering. A second later, his knees buckled and he collapsed. Melfina was standing next to him, and she caught him as he fell. Fred rushed to support his other side.  
  
"What happened?" Fred asked frantically. "Gene?"  
  
Gene grunted. Melfina leaned over to look in his face. "He's asleep," she said.  
  
"Figures," said Jim. "He's been running himself ragged trying to skip those pirates. We lost 'em three days ago."  
  
"Hasn't he slept since then?" Fred asked.  
  
"Nope. Keeps insisting he's gotta get us all out of there. He even yelled at Suzuka."  
  
Fred winced. "I wish he wouldn't do that. Well, then... I'll take Gene to a guest room, and send in some servants to take care of you, alright?"  
  
"Lemme help with Gene," Jim offered, stepping forward.  
  
"That's okay," Fred said, shaking his head. "I've got him." He looked into Gene's face. "Gonna wake up to get to a nice, warm bed, Gene?" he asked.  
  
Gene stirred slightly. "Gghhhhrrrr....mmmmnope."  
  
Fred snorted. "Well, then!" He gripped Gene by the waist, and hefted him over his shoulder. "You're going to bed, anyway!" Slightly weighed down by Gene's bulk, Fred walked slowly towards a long hallway. "I'll send the servants in in just a minute," he called back cheerfully, over his shoulder.  
  
---  
  
"...There you go." Fred smiled. Gene was stretched out on a large, soft bed. It had taken a bit to get both of their large frames in through the door, but he had gotten it done.  
  
After a moment, Fred leaned over and started unlacing Gene's boots. He carefully pulled them off of the other man's feet, followed by a very worn-out pair of socks which Fred tossed in a laundry hamper. Thinking quickly and acting slowly, Fred reached for the buckles to Gene's thigh-holster. He removed it slowly, glad that his friend did not wake up. He had seen Gene in a number of moods, but he was not positive that he wanted to find out what Gene did when he woke up to find someone removing his weapons.  
  
The light shields came next. As Fred took one of Gene's shielded hands in both of his own, Gene rolled his head on the pillow. His eyes opened slightly. Fred froze.  
  
"...Nnn...whowhat?" Gene asked, disoriented.  
  
"It's me, Gene," Fred said softly. "Fred. You're in one of the guest rooms."  
  
"Mmmmkay...what're you...doing?"  
  
"Taking off your shields. I didn't think you wanted to sleep in them."  
  
"Boots."  
  
"I already got them."  
  
"Hn?" Gene wiggled his toes. "Nnn...."  
  
"I took your gun off, too, Gene. Is that okay?"  
  
"Mmhm."  
  
"Do you want me to finish taking off your shields?"  
  
"Mmhm."  
  
"Anything else?"  
  
"T'rn 'ff the lights."  
  
Fred smiled, unbuckling the light shields. He set both on the bedside table, and reached to turn the lamp off. It immediately became dark in the room. "Is that good?"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Goodnight, Gene." He got no response, so he tiptoed quietly out of the room and shut the door behind him.  
  
---  
  
"This is the life!" Asjia crowed, wriggling in the hot water of her bath. Across the room in another large tub, Melfina was enjoying her own peaceful bath.  
  
"Good evening, ladies!" Fred said, poking his head in through the door. As it was, he could not possibly have seen either Asjia or Melfina, but both gasped and ducked under in their respective tubs, anyway.  
  
"Don't you know it's polite to knock?!" Asjia shrieked, poking her head back up through the bubbles.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," Fred apologized. "But I just came to tell you that Gene is taken care of and that your rooms are ready for you."  
  
"Is he alright?" Melfina asked, worried.  
  
"Of course," Fred answered, still standing in the doorway. "It's pretty hard to put Gene out of commission. I just don't understand why he was so insistent on paying me back."  
  
"What?" Asjia asked, confused. "All of that money you lent him..."  
  
"I loaned him the money as a friend. He can take his time paying me back." Fred shrugged. "I hope those pirates aren't as bad as Gene thinks they are."  
  
"Well, they are," Asjia snorted. "They're even worse than the others, and they *all* have grappling ships!"  
  
"All?" Fred blinked. "Just how many pirates are after you right now?"  
  
"We think, about twenty," Melfina answered. She was climbing out of her bathtub and wrapping a towel around her body. "Gene thinks that the MacDougal brothers tipped them off."  
  
"...Twenty?" Fred repeated weakly. "And the MacDougal brothers?"  
  
"That's right," Asjia purred. "And they're all after our good friend, Gene Starwind."  
  
"...They're after Gene..." Fred sighed miserably. "It's impossible for him to stay out of trouble, isn't it?"  
  
"It's all about the Galactic Leyline, you know," Asjia said, climbing out of her bath. "They want it as much as I... as much as we do."  
  
"And they're willing to kill you for the ship." Fred shook his head.  
  
Melfina walked around so that she could see Fred. "And get me," she added softly.  
  
"Yes, of course." Fred was quiet for a moment. "Are you ready, Asjia?"  
  
"Yep!" The Gkitaro-Gkitaro strode out to join them, wrapped in at least five towels. The only part of her that was visible was her face, feet, and hands.  
  
Fred blinked. Then he smiled. "Well, then, let me show you to your rooms!" As Fred led them down the halls, he quizzed them about their trip. "...And where is Suzuka, anyways?" he asked. "I thought she never let Gene out of her sight."  
  
"Suzu's staying on board the /Outlaw Star/," Asjia answered. "She didn't think it was necessary to come all the way out here just to pay you back, and besides, someone needed to guard the ship."  
  
"Yes, of course..."  
  
---  
  
"Are you doing alright, James?" Fred asked, knocking on the boy's door.  
  
"Just fine, Fred," came the muffled reply.  
  
"Can I talk with you for a moment?"  
  
"Yeah, just come on in."  
  
Fred opened the door and walked in. Jim was sitting at a large desk, typing away at a small computer. Fred walked up behind him to see what he was doing. It was hard to tell, because Jim was deleting almost as many characters as he typed in.  
  
"You're tired," Fred stated after a moment. "You should get some rest."  
  
"Yeah, but I can't go to bed yet." Jim yawned. He rubbed at his eyes with one hand. "I... I have to make sure that everything on the /Outlaw Star/ that needs repair gets it... and I have to transfer the money from our account..." He stopped as he yawned again.  
  
Fred put a hand lightly on Jim's shoulder. "James, I can take care of getting the /Outlaw Star/ repaired, so you just get some sleep. But, why does Gene want to pay me back so badly? You can keep the money for as long as you need it."  
  
Jim turned around in his chair so that he was facing Fred. "I dunno. We've got enough money to keep us covered for a long time. Gene got the bounty off of a shipload of pirates... plus he ran into an old cache of Dragonite, so we've got more than enough to pay you back and still be in the green..."  
  
Fred shook his head. He reached up to rub the lobe of his right ear. "Asjia said that you picked up those pirates that are on your trail, on your way back to Hayfong. Why--"  
  
"I don't know!" Jim exclaimed. He sighed and slumped in his chair. "Maybe it's just because he doesn't like owing people anything."  
  
Fred reached over and shut Jim's computer off. "Well, that's Gene's decision, and you shouldn't be held responsible for it. Go to bed, James."  
  
"Yeah, I guess I should." He paused. "Are you sure you can take care of getting the /Outlaw Star/ ready...?"  
  
"Absolutely." Fred gave Jim a gentle push in the direction of his bed. "See you in the morning."  
  
"...'Gnight."  
  
---  
---  
  



	2. Part Two

Experienced Outlaw Star fans:  
  
Allow me to beg your forgiveness. This is my first OS fanfiction, and as of yet, unfinished. The characters are as I see them, having only watched the series twice through. If you don't like the way I spell the names, that's your problem.  
  
This is a alternate time line fic, which means it does not follow the time line set by the actual series. Actually, it follows a similar time line, but at some point it breaks off into a paradox and becomes a different story entirely.  
  
---  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the pictures in my head. Original characters do belong to me.  
  
Warning: As of yet, this is an alternate time line fic, with yaoi (m/m), het (m/f), and humor. Small dashes of sap, language and angst thrown in for good measure. Pairings--wouldn't you just like to know? This fic reaches into the very edges of lime, but do not expect any lemons. If you don't know what that means, email me and expect to be embarrassed. Underage people are drinking--don't try this at home!  
  
Author: Kasey  
  
Archive: Not unless I send it to you.  
  
Status: Incomplete, self-edited.  
  
Key: /italics/ and *emphasis*  
  
---  
  
"At a Minute or Two 'Till Two, Today"  
  
---  
  
-Part Two-  
  
---  
  
The next morning, Gene was the first to awake, fully rested. He sat straight up in bed, eyes wide open in the morning light.  
  
**Pfumph!!**  
  
Gene lay back down again.  
  
"*Yaaaawwwwww!!!!*" Stretching full-length on the bed, Gene arched his neck to look around him. He was in a very large room, laying on a bed made for two people at least a foot taller than himself, and there was a small songbird twittering in a cage by the window.  
  
Gene tried to sit up again, but the bed seemed to pull him back down, enticing him to go back to sleep. Finally, he rolled to the side, and off of the bed. He grunted as he hit the floor, and pulled himself into a kneeling position. "What a trip," he mumbled. "I think I just caught up on two weeks' sleep."  
  
Further thoughts flew from his head as he caught site of an open door across the room. From where he was, he could see a shower. Shower? Yes!!  
  
---  
  
Jim was the next to wake up, only he had bathed the night before, so he pulled on the bathrobe he had been given, and set out to find Gene.  
  
"Gene!! Are yah in here?" Jim pressed his ear against the door to Gene's room. "Are you awake?" He got no reply, but he noticed a soft sound that he recognized as running water. He tested the door, and found that it wasn't locked.  
  
Inside the room, he found that it was every bit as spacious and luxurious as his own, except that Gene had a songbird, while he had a large aquarium. He walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door.  
  
"Who's there?" Gene's voice came, muffled by the door and shower.  
  
"It's me, Gene!" Jim called back. "I'm comin' in." He opened the door, just as Gene pulled the shower curtain closed.  
  
"Wouldja mind, little buddy?" Gene asked, sounding slightly miffed. "Next time give me some warning."  
  
"Sorry, Gene," Jim replied. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay after you fainted last night."  
  
"I didn't faint," Gene snorted. "I fell asleep."  
  
Jim snickered. "Yeah, right. You collapsed in Fred's living room."  
  
"That wasn't a living room. It was a lobby. He probably has ten living rooms and three banquet halls stashed in this place. Tell me, is your room as big as mine?"  
  
"It sure is! Except I've got fish and you've got a bird." Jim looked down at the pile of clothes Gene had left on the floor. He wasn't sure if he was imagining that he could smell them from where he stood. "Hey, Gene?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I'm taking your clothes down to the laundry before they get up and walk there on their own, okay?"  
  
"Sure thing. I'll just wear a towel 'till they're clean, unless you know where to find a robe like you've got?"  
  
"I dunno. It was waiting for me when I got out of the bath last night." Jim picked up the pile of clothes and held it at arm's length. "Ugh!! I'll see you later, Gene!" With that, he ran out of the bathroom. He dumped the pile in the laundry hamper, and hauled the hamper out into the hall.  
  
---  
  
As Gene stepped out of his room, he walked straight into a maid who was passing by.  
  
"Excuse me!" Gene exclaimed. His hair was still wet, and a slightly damp towel was draped around his waist. Other than that, he was completely nude.  
  
"Oh!" The maid blushed, and looked away. "W-would you like me to get you a robe, sir?" she squeaked.  
  
"Sure, that would be great." Gene looked up and down the hall. "Can you tell me where Fred's room is?"  
  
"...That way." The maid pointed to Gene's left. "Up the stairs and to the right. Y-you can't miss it."  
  
Gene started walking down the hall. "Thanks! Just leave the robe in the room, okay?"  
  
---  
  
Gene wasn't particularly surprised to find a guard on either side of Fred's bedroom door. Fred was the paranoid type, his insecurity only heightened by the contract Suzuka had taken out over his life. While Gene had, for the most part, eliminated Suzuka's threat, Fred was still terrified of being taken unawares--or at all, for that matter.  
  
"Just here to thank Fred," Gene said, waving away one of the guards. The other guard recognized him, and nodded that it was okay for him to go in. Gene stepped up and knocked on the door. There was no reply. He tried the handle, and found it was locked. He tapped the guard on the shoulder. "...Would you mind?" he asked, gesturing to the lock.  
  
The guard nodded, and typed a security bypass code in. Gene heard a click, and when he tried to turn the handle again, he was able to open the door. He stepped inside, pulling the door shut behind him.  
  
To his surprise, Fred's room was no larger than the guest room he had been given--in fact, it looked smaller because of the paintings, ornaments, and bookshelves that adorned the walls.  
  
It wasn't hard to find Fred. There was a large blanket-roll on the bed that grunted when Gene poked it. Gene stepped over the green bathrobe lying on the floor and started shaking the blanket-roll.  
  
A sort of guttural whine came from the blanket-roll, and a head of blue-black hair slowly poked free of the blankets. "Mmm... I was *asleep,*" Fred groaned.  
  
"Yeah, and now I'm waking you up, Freddie-boy." Gene continued to shake the blankets.  
"Okay, okay!!" Fred yawned and worked his way free of the roll of blankets. "I'm awake... I think."  
  
"You're not awake 'till you open your eyes," Gene teased, standing back and placing his hands on his hips.  
  
"Fine." Fred reached up to rub the sleep from his eyes. Then he blinked his eyes open. Wide, wi~ide open! "...Good morning, Gene!" He couldn't help but smile happily at the sight of Gene Starwind, standing in front of him, wearing nothing more than a towel that was starting to fall off of his hips.  
  
Gene would have had to be blind to miss the hungry look in Fred's eyes, and he quickly grasped his towel with one hand, to prevent it from *ever* falling. He knew Fred's preferences quite well--the other man simply wouldn't let him forget.  
  
"Well, you didn't come in just to wake me up," Fred said, still smiling. He was very thoughtful in the way he let the blankets fall around his waist and hips as he sat up, leaving Gene no doubt that he was *not* wearing anything.  
  
"Actually, I did." Gene replied. "And to thank you for putting us up for the night."  
  
"It was my pleasure," Fred said, waving the matter away. He rolled over and reached to the floor to pick up his bathrobe, just barely missing a faceful of Gene's thigh as the other man jumped out of his way.  
  
"Trying to bite me?" Gene asked wryly, catching his balance at the foot of the bed.  
  
Fred stood up as he pulled his robe on, totally unashamed of letting Gene see his body. "The thought *has* crossed my mind," he said slowly, tying the sash. He gave Gene a seductive smile before turning sharply and walking to the bathroom. "I really wish you'd stop by more often, Gene."  
  
"So you can flash me more often?"  
  
"If you like what you see..."  
  
---  
  
Jim, Asjia, and Melfina were already eating breakfast by the time Gene, finally decently covered in a full-length bathrobe, found them at a small dining table.  
  
"You hungry?" Jim asked. "The food's great!!" He took a long drink of orange juice. "And there's plenty of it!"  
  
"It's very good," Asjia agreed. Her plate was piled high with pancakes, sausages, and eggs, and dripping with syrup. It was her third serving.  
  
"Good morning, Gene," Melfina said politely. "Sit down."  
  
Gene accepted a seat between Jim and Melfina, and started filling up a plate for himself.  
  
"What took you so long?" Jim asked through a mouthful of pancake. "I left your room almost an hour ago!"  
  
"I went to see Fred. He sleeps in later than *I* do."  
  
Jim snorted. "Impossible. Sleeping in past two in the afternoon is just going to bed early."  
  
Gene waved a fork menacingly at him. "Laugh all you want, kiddo. Just see if I never adjust your alarm clock for you, and *then* tell me who's gonna be laughing!"  
  
Melfina giggled just as Fred, showered and wearing a blue bathrobe, walked in. "Good morning, everyone. Gene... oh, you're dressed." The look on his face was disappointed. "Oh, well."  
  
"Don't be so down, Fred," Gene said. "I think we're stuck here for a few more days. At least until they finish the repairs on the /Outlaw Star/."  
  
"Yes, yes of course!" Fred sat down next to Asjia and started serving himself breakfast. "I made all of the arrangements after you went to bed. I've got three crews trading shifts to work non-stop until the repairs are finished. I also took the liberty of checking Jim's computer for the supplies you needed, and the shipments should be in by tomorrow evening at the latest."  
  
"That's wonderful!" Melfina exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, that's great, Fred!" Jim agreed. "You sure know how to get things done, unlike *some* self-centered people I know..." He glanced at Gene rather pointedly, who glowered in response.  
  
"Now, just a minute, small-fry--"  
  
"Don't call me small-fry!"  
  
"Jim--"  
  
"Don't take that tone with me, Gene! Do you have *any idea* how much of your crap I have to deal with? Clean up after?"  
  
"Now, you look here! I'm the captain, so what I say, goes!"  
  
"Captain! You can't 'captain' your way out of a bathroom!"  
  
"Jim!"  
  
Chaos reigned humorously in the dining room.  
  
---  
  
Gene, finally fully dressed again, complete with his gun and shields, sat on Fred's desk, tapping his feet against the panelling. "So, whaddaya think?"  
  
"You were right," Fred said, typing away at his computer. "It will take three days at the very least to finish the repairs on the /Outlaw Star/. Re-supplying doesn't take very long, but the maintenance will. You almost completely blew an engine, Gene! Do you have any idea how long it takes to repair engines like the XGP has? How did you manage to do it?"  
  
"You read science fiction, right?" Gene asked.  
  
Fred blinked. "Well, yes. I have bookshelves full of it..."  
  
"Ever hear of warp drive?"  
  
Fred's eyes went wide. "Gene... that's impossible!! You didn't *really* achieve light speed... did you?!"  
  
Gene laughed. "Of course not! We tried pretty hard, though. Came darn close, too."  
  
Fred shook his head. "Well, it's no wonder that engine's almost shot. My workers will have it as good as new in a few days, though."  
  
"Good. We need it. So, tell me, Fred. How much do we owe you for the repairs?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Repairs on the /Outlaw Star/ aren't cheap. I know that. You know that. How much do I need to pay you back?"  
  
"Gene!" Fred stood up and walked around the desk. He hopped up to sit next to Gene. "Why are you so worried about paying me back?" he asked, rubbing the lobe of his right ear.  
  
Gene looked away. "You've loaned me a lot of money, and I owe you for that. The trip's getting pretty dangerous... and I don't want to bump off before I pay you back. Does that make any sense?"  
  
Fred frowned. "You're afraid you might not make it back from the Galactic Leyline...?"  
  
Gene gave him a small smile. "Heck, I'm not sure we're even going to *make it* to the Galactic Leyline. With all these pirates and bounty-hunters on my tail..." His voice trailed off. Then he scowled. "Not to mention those damn MacDougal brothers. I wish I knew how they keep finding us! It's like they've got a tracking beacon, but we've run every electronic and visible check known to manki--"  
  
"Wait!" Fred lay a hand on Gene's shoulder. He tapped his fingers against the desk for a minute as he organized his thought. "Do you remember telling me about what Melfina told you? How she and Harry MacDougal are the same 'type' of android?"  
  
Gene nodded. "Yeah..."  
  
"Well," Fred went on. "What if Harry MacDougal managed to find a way to set up a sort of... beacon, as you said, in the /Outlaw Star's/ virtual database? One that wouldn't be detected by either Gillium or Melfina?"  
  
Gene was silent for a moment. "...I'll have to ask them if it's possible, and have Jim run a check for it. You might be right. If so, we may have to get out of here fast."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because finding a beacon like that might trigger an alarm to tell the MacDougals that we're on to them. They might come after us themselves, and frankly, we're in no condition to fight them."  
  
"You're also in no condition to go running off!" Fred huffed, jumping off of the desk. He started pacing back and forth. "The /Outlaw Star/ is barely running, and you're still recovering from--"  
  
"I'm fine, Fred," Gene insisted.  
  
"But I *worry*!!" Fred sighed. "I'm sorry, Gene. You *are* my friend, and I really wish there was some way I could help... other than just recommending contacts and resources, and loaning you money..."  
  
"Believe me," Gene grinned, "That's plenty of help."  
  
Fred glared at him. "You know what I mean!" He looked away for a moment. Finally, he looked back at Gene. "At least wait until the repairs are finished. Then you'll be able to... to leave, if you have to."  
  
Gene smiled softly. "Okay. I'll wait."  
  
---  
  
Three days later, Jim watched the computer as the results of the his new command program: [MELFINA]x://find#MacDougal.beacon/delete.xgp flitted up his computer screen. Suzuka stood behind him, also reading the data. Suddenly, the screen started blinking red. A warning.  
"Jim," Gillium said, "We've found it."  
  
"Can we get rid of it?" Jim asked, already starting to type in commands to secure the beacon in place until Gillium and Melfina could delete it.  
  
"I...I think so," Melfina said. "Ohh..." She shuddered as she recognized the signals being emitted from the beacon. "It's *him* again..." She gritted her teeth and set to pulling the beacon out of the virtual web it had used to secure itself in her domain.  
  
---  
---  
  



	3. Part Three

Experienced Outlaw Star fans:  
  
Allow me to beg your forgiveness. This is my first OS fanfiction, and as of yet, unfinished. The characters are as I see them, having only watched the series twice through. If you don't like the way I spell the names, that's your problem.  
  
This is a alternate time line fic, which means it does not follow the time line set by the actual series. Actually, it follows a similar time line, but at some point it breaks off into a paradox and becomes a different story entirely.  
  
---  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the pictures in my head. Original characters do belong to me.  
  
Warning: As of yet, this is an alternate time line fic, with yaoi (m/m), het (m/f), and humor. Small dashes of sap, language and angst thrown in for good measure. Pairings--wouldn't you just like to know? This fic reaches into the very edges of lime, but do not expect any lemons. If you don't know what that means, email me and expect to be embarrassed. Underage people are drinking--don't try this at home!  
  
Author: Kasey  
  
Archive: Not unless I send it to you.  
  
Status: Incomplete, self-edited.  
  
Key: /italics/ and *emphasis*  
  
---  
  
"At a Minute or Two 'Till Two, Today"  
  
---  
  
-Part Three-  
  
---  
  
"Melfina!!" Harry MacDougal sat straight up in his bed, panting hard. He shut his eyes tight as he clutched his head. "Oh, oh, Melfina!" he moaned.  
  
"What's wrong?" Ron MacDougal, the elder of the two brothers, poked his head into Harry's cabin. "Harry?"  
  
Harry rolled out of bed and cracked his knees on the hard metal floor. "It...it's the /Outlaw Star/," Harry gasped, his face wrenched in pain. "They found my tracking device."  
  
"Are they disarming it?"  
  
"...Yes."  
  
"Damn!" Ron ran back out of the cabin. "We'll have to go after them now!"  
  
Harry's door shut on it's own as his brother ran down the corridor towards the control room of their small ship. He slumped on the floor.  
  
"Ah..." he whimpered, feeling Melfina's soft hands pulling at his beacon. "Oh, Melfina..."  
  
---  
  
Melfina shivered as she heard Harry's voice through the beacon. It was almost done. "I won't listen to you," she whispered, part to him, and part to reassure herself. "I won't listen." Finally, she pulled the beacon from the web. The strands of the web disintegrated without the beacon to hold them together.  
  
Closing her eyes and trying not to listen to Harry's static-y cries, she crushed the beacon between her hands.  
  
---  
  
"No!" Harry rolled around the floor of his cabin until he felt the final blow, and his beacon was destroyed. "*NOOO!!!!*"  
  
He stopped rolling, curled up in a ball in the middle of his cabin. Tears started rolling down his cheeks.  
  
"Why do you keep doing this to me, Melfina?" he sobbed.  
  
---  
  
"Are you okay?" Asjia asked. Gillium had ejected Melfina from the connection tube the moment she had passed out, and Asjia had been the one there to catch her.  
  
"The... the MacDougal brothers," Melfina gasped weakly. "They're on their way here..."  
  
"Gillium," Gene said, sitting in the captain's seat, "Is Melfina strong enough to get us out of here?"  
  
"No," Gillium replied. "We will have to fight them off from down here."  
  
"Damn!" Gene slammed his palm down on the control panel. "We don't know where they are, or where they're coming from... we have no way of making any sort of plan or preparations... Gillium! Use the data Melfina gave you and see if you can at least get us some sort of time frame for how long we've got 'till they get here."  
  
"The signals were very strong until Melfina destroyed the beacon," Gillium said. "I am estimating that they will arrive in less than three hours."  
  
Jim shook his head. "It's not enough time to get out of here, Gene," he said. "We'll have to fight them on the ground."  
  
"And on their terms, too." Gene tapped his finger against the control panel. "Well, then, Jim ol' buddy, I think we need to turn this as much in *our* favor as we can."  
  
"How do we do that?" Gillium asked.  
  
"Suzuka, are you fighting with us?" Gene asked, over his shoulder.  
  
The assassin was holding a cold, damp cloth to Melfina's head. "Yes."  
  
"Asjia?"  
  
"Sure thing! I want another crack at those little munchy monsters they keep turning loose on us!"  
"Great. Here's the plan..."  
  
---  
  
"Find her, little brother?"  
  
"No!!" Harry was still shaking, even as he adjusted the controls to bring their ship into Hayfong. The backlash from Melfina had damaged some of the circuits connecting his electronics to his natural body tissue, so he was relying completely on his programming.  
  
"Well, you'd best find her soon. You know they won't be waiting for us at the ship. And they won't leave her alone at the ship again, either."  
  
"Just shut up!" Harry cried, his voice cracking. "I'll find her!"  
  
"There they are!" As they dropped through the clouds, Ron pointed at a large clearing a few miles from the spaceport. "I know it's them! I can feel it!"  
  
"...Maybe," Harry said slowly, his voice still uneven. He ran a quick scan. "It is! Sh-she's down there!"  
  
"Good," Ron said, smirking. "And it looks like they're waiting for us. How nice."  
  
---  
  
"Here they come!" Gene cried. Asjia and Suzuka stood just behind him. They watched as the MacDougal's ship passed overhead, and two figures came plummeting down from the sky. A few seconds later, the ship turned to pass by again, dropping more figures. Then the ship turned once more and headed towards the spaceport.  
  
Suddenly, parachutes exploded from the first two figures, followed by more from the other congregation.  
  
"Looks like the party's starting," Gene said as the outlines of the MacDougal brothers cleared up and he could recognize their faces. He flipped the safety off of his gun. "Leave Ron MacDougal to me."  
  
"We'll take care of those bio-engineering nightmares," Suzuka said. "But what about Harry MacDougal?"  
  
"If everything works right, Jim and Melfina should take him out." Just then, the MacDougals let go of their parachutes, and dropped the remaining few yards to the ground.  
  
---  
  
Harry hit the ground, rolled, and was on his feet in seconds. He made a B-line for Melfina. The other bio-android shrieked and ran back towards Jim.  
  
"A little closer," Jim murmured, "...And... Now!!" He had clocked Harry's speed perfectly. He pressed the button just a second and a yard before Harry stepped on the small, neatly covered mound of dirt. The remote reactor set off the three underground castor shells, and Harry MacDougal was in the middle of the explosion.  
  
Melfina crouched behind Jim, shivering as she listened to Harry's screaming.  
  
---  
  
The elder of the MacDougal brothers had faced Gene with a castor, which Gene had cancelled out with a castor of his own.  
  
"We're not gonna play *that* game again, are we?" Gene asked. "I really get tired of playing tag with you guys like this. It's a pretty poor excuse to waste ammunition."  
  
"Do you have any idea what the bounty on your head is, Gene Starwind?" MacDougal asked. "I've come to collect." He loaded his gun with another shell, and aimed at Gene.  
  
"Oh, I think a couple of thousand wong," Gene replied casually, "But you'll find that I'm pretty attached to my head. I use it to do all my thinking for me." He was retreating slowly as he reloaded, drawing MacDougal forward.  
  
"Trying to run away so quickly?" MacDougal asked. "I don't think so." He fired at Gene, whose reflexes allowed him to fire the checking shot and run before they hit. MacDougal took off, running after Gene.  
  
Jim watched the whole thing from a distance, on a radar screen. "Dammit, Gene! Now he's too far to the left. Take him to the right and circle around, okay?"  
  
Gene tapped the tiny communicator in his ear. "Got it, Jim. Doin' good." He cut a sharp right.  
  
MacDougal cursed and turned to follow. "Damn you, Starwind! Stop playing these kid games and get back here and fight!!'  
  
"Yahaha!! Can't catch me!" Gene called back. He narrowly missed hitting a tree, but still managed to stay a few yards ahead of MacDougal. He tapped the communicator again. "How are we doing?"  
  
"Just keep going straight, now," Jim replied. "And stay ahead of him--oh, no, Gene! He's reloading another castor!!"  
  
"Shit," Gene cursed. "Am I gonna make it, Ji--" He was cut off by a loud explosion behind him, and MacDougal's shocked roar of pain. He kept running until the he was well away from the flames.  
  
---  
  
Gene returned to Jim's hiding place, carrying MacDougal's injured and unconscious form over his shoulder. "How'd it go?" he asked softly, noticing Melfina's upset expression.  
  
"Just like you planned," Jim replied. "You're getting better at this, Gene." He grinned at his friend. "The other brother ran straight for Melfina, and we got him just right. As for Suzuka and Asjia, well..." He sighed and thumbed over his shoulder.  
  
"Hn?" Gene looked up to see the two women warriors arguing over who had defeated the last of a number of robots that were littering the clearing they had fought in. "Oh." He turned back to Jim. "So, what's the bounty on this guy?" he asked, indicating MacDougal.  
  
"Dunno, I never checked." Jim hit a few buttons on his computer. "Wow!! That guy's worth almost a *million* wong, alive! That'll sure pay for all those castors we used!"  
  
"Yeah... and how about him?" he pointed to Harry MacDougal's limp form, which was still where the castors had exploded just minutes earlier.  
  
Jim typed away. He frowned. "I dunno. There's no record of him, anywhere. And no price for him, either. I guess... we just finish him, unless he's already dead."  
  
"...He's not," Melfina said softly. "I can tell."  
  
"Yaaahh... I hate killing in cold blood," Gene said, wrinkling his nose. "But that guy's just bad."  
  
"Gene?"  
  
"Yeah, Melfina?"  
  
"Could we..." She stopped, and looked at the ground. "Could we run some tests on him? I-I mean, if he was right, and we *are* the same...type... maybe I can learn something about... about myself."  
  
Gene raised an eyebrow. "Sure thing. We'll have to find a way to restrain him, though. But, yeah... I'd like to see what makes that crazy kid tick."  
  
"So how should we work this, Gene?" Jim asked.  
  
"That's easy," Gene said. "Suzuka and Asjia will take MacDougal here in to collect the bounty on him--"  
  
"I'd better get a pretty good cut of that bounty," Asjia cut in. Jim sighed.  
  
"--And I'll carry that one back to the /Outlaw Star/," Gene finished, pointing to Harry's still immobile form. "Jim, you and Melfina will come with me. We can figure out how to restrain him on the way there."  
  
---  
  
The Chief of the Space Military Forces shook his head in disbelief. "You're telling me that you two ladies brought in Ronald MacDougal all by yourselves?" he asked for the third time.  
  
"Well, we had some help," Asjia replied, standing up very tall and proud, "But they couldn't make it."  
  
"We're just here to collect and leave," Suzuka added.  
  
The Chief sighed. "Well, then, you deserve it! My thanks, and congratulations. Pay them," he instructed the treasurer.  
  
"Yes sir!" The man nodded to Suzuka and Asjia, and led them out of the room to the register.  
  
The Chief took a long drink of water and typed a few commands into his computer. A visual of MacDougal's cell came up on the screen. He was still out cold. "Amazing..."  
  
---  
  
When Harry opened his eyes, it was to see Melfina's virtual domain. He looked around him, eyes wide, not immediately recognizing the place.  
  
"He's awake," Melfina's voice came from somewhere nearby. Harry looked around but couldn't see her.  
  
"Melfina!!" he yelled. "Where are you?!"  
  
Suddenly Melfina appeared in front of him. "Here I am," she said warily.  
  
"Melfina!" he gasped. He reached for her, but found his arms pinned to his sides. "...What?"  
  
"It's a firewall," Melfina told him, her voice even softer than normal. "We uploaded you into my database as a virus. The virus scan alerted the firewall, and it will hold you here until we're done."  
  
"D-done doing what?" Harry asked, his voice wavering. "Let me go, Melfina! Please let me go!"  
  
"No!" Melfina turned away. "I can't."  
  
"Then why didn't you just kill me?!" Harry's breathing was erratic, and his face had gone white.  
  
"We're just going to scan you... to find out more about me," Melfina said. "You said... that we are the same type of android."  
  
Harry nodded. "Yes, that's right. Ron is, too. Where is Ron? What will you do with me when you're done?"  
  
Melfina's eyes went wide. "I don't know!" she cried, and disappeared.  
  
"Wait!" Harry called. "Melfina, come back!!"  
  
---  
  
"Is it holding him?" Jim asked Melfina.  
  
"Yes," she responded. "It's working just fine."  
  
Gene frowned, looking at Harry's body. They had essentially plugged him into Melfina's connection tube, and after that, they had bolted him to the wall. "Just for good measure," Gene had said.  
  
"Is he bothering you, there?" Gene asked, finally.  
  
"No. The firewall is holding him in place, and he can't reach past the guards. The virus scan is also monitoring him..."  
  
"Good. Let's start running that other scan over him so we can get this done with as quick as possi--"  
  
"Gene..."  
  
"Yeah, Gillium?"  
  
"Incoming message from Fred Lowe."  
  
"Yeah? Put him on screen." A moment later, Fred's smiling face appeared on the screen.  
  
"Gene! Wonderful, you dealt with the MacDougals and you're all safe. I just got word that two women succeeded in taking out the bounty on Ronald MacDougal's name. Who actually got him?"  
  
"I did," Gene replied. "But I gave him to Asjia and Suzuka."  
  
"But what about the other one? Harry MacDougal?"  
"See for yourself." Gene stepped out of the way to allow Fred to view Harry, who's physical body would stay unconscious until Melfina let him go.  
  
"Oh!" Fred tilted his head, rubbing the lobe of his right ear between two fingers. "That's Harry MacDougal, really?"  
  
"Yep," Jim piped up. "We're running some tests for Melfina, and then we're gonna get rid of him... I hope."  
  
"Well, I don't know what else we can do with him," Gene said, shrugging. "I'm not letting him go so he can just harass Melfina again... and because of the type of android he is, there's not many prisons that would hold him."  
  
"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out," Fred said. "Will you be coming back for dinner, tonight? Bring Suzuka with you. She may not be my favorite person in the world, but I'd like to congratulate her on your battle, today."  
  
"Accepted," Suzuka said, stepping into the room. She handed Gene an envelope fat with wong bills. "I'll be there."  
  
"Wonderful! See you all tonight, then!" Fred pressed a button to cut off the communication. He turned his chair to face the window behind him "...And to save you all from any more of Asjia's cooking!!"  
  
---  
---  
  



	4. Part Four

Experienced Outlaw Star fans:  
  
Allow me to beg your forgiveness. This is my first OS fanfiction, and as of yet, unfinished. The characters are as I see them, having only watched the series twice through. If you don't like the way I spell the names, that's your problem.  
  
This is a alternate time line fic, which means it does not follow the time line set by the actual series. Actually, it follows a similar time line, but at some point it breaks off into a paradox and becomes a different story entirely.  
  
---  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the pictures in my head. Original characters do belong to me.  
  
Warning: As of yet, this is an alternate time line fic, with yaoi (m/m), het (m/f), and humor. Small dashes of sap, language and angst thrown in for good measure. Pairings--wouldn't you just like to know? This fic reaches into the very edges of lime, but do not expect any lemons. If you don't know what that means, email me and expect to be embarrassed. Underage people are drinking--don't try this at home!  
  
Author: Kasey  
  
Archive: Not unless I send it to you.  
  
Status: Incomplete, self-edited.  
  
Key: /italics/ and *emphasis*  
  
---  
  
"At a Minute or Two 'Till Two, Today"  
  
---  
  
-Part Four-  
  
---  
  
Later that day found the entire crew of the /Outlaw Star/ sitting around Fred's dining table, being served a four-course meal. Gene, Jim, and Asjia were arguing over the division of the bounty for turning in Ron MacDougal. On either side of Fred, Suzuka was quietly sipping tea, and Melfina was staring at the wall.  
  
"What's wrong, Melfina?" Fred asked as a servant set a steaming plate of pasta in front of him. "You look disturbed."  
  
Melfina looked down at her own plate of food. She picked up a fork and poked at the pasta. "I guess I'm just worried about Gillium," she said. "I really shouldn't be... Harry can't break out of the firewalls..."  
  
"Is it about Harry MacDougal, then?" Fred took a sip of his tea. "I thought it was your idea to take him back to the ship."  
  
"It... It was," Melfina said. "But he's acting different. Strange. I don't know. He just doesn't seem like himself." She frowned and picked up some pasta on her fork.  
  
Fred tilted his head. "Different? Gene told me he was crazy. Perhaps he's just showing you a side of himself you haven't seen before. It's not as if you talk to him constantly, right?"  
  
Melfina smiled a little. "Maybe you're right. Maybe he's just reacting badly because of the fight."  
  
"It's settled, then!!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
Melfina, Fred, and Suzuka all looked over at Jim and Asjia, who had just yelled at each other.  
  
"You and Suzuka split fifty percent," Jim said. "And we'll split the other half."  
  
"Fifty percent?" Suzuka asked. "Isn't that a bit much? Twenty percent for each of us is much more even."  
  
Gene sighed. "You and Asjia took care of those little mechanical monsters MacDougal sent after us, while we took care of just Ron and Harry. Technically, you had a harder task than we did."  
  
"It's fair," Jim agreed.  
  
"Now, Suzu," Asjia said, sitting back contentedly in her chair, "I still say I was the one who got that last beastie."  
  
"You chopped its tail," Suzuka said, sipping her tea. "I got it in the neck. Case closed. And don't call me that name."  
  
Fred shook his head at the antics of the two grown women. "Gene, you'll be spending the night here, yes?"  
  
Gene shrugged. "I dunno... I'm not sure if we should leave Harry MacDougal along on the /Outlaw Star/..."  
  
"Oh." Fred sighed.  
  
"...We should at least check on him, and then come back," Gene finished.  
  
Fred's face lit up. "Wonderful!" he said happily.  
  
---  
  
"...Are you awake?"  
Harry opened his eyes slowly. He was still trapped in Melfina's domain. "Melfina?"  
  
"I'm right here."  
  
Harry turned to look at her. "Let me go, Melfina," he pleaded.  
  
Melfina turned away. "No. I won't. You'll just come back and try to hurt me again."  
  
Harry was silent. He was not too crazy to understand what she was saying. "...Maybe you're right," he said, after a minute. "I probably will." Melfina shuddered. Harry watched her, his expression almost sad. "I'm sorry."  
  
Melfina turned sharply to look at him. "What?"  
  
Harry blinked. "I-I said, I'm sorry. For when I hit you. I shouldn't have. I didn't mean to."  
  
Melfina tilted her head, her brown eyes confused. "Do you mean it? Your apology?"  
  
"...Yes!" Harry smiled a pure, genuine smile. "Yes, I do!"  
  
Melfina couldn't help but smile. "Then, I accept it."  
  
Harry's smile suddenly disappeared, and his face twinged with pain. "Ohh..."  
  
"What's wrong?" Melfina gasped.  
  
"I-I'm hungry," Harry said, after a moment. "I haven't eaten in at least a day."  
  
"Oh..." Melfina thought for a moment. "Just a minute." She disappeared.  
  
"No!!" Harry cried. "Melfina! Come back! Please don't leave me!"  
  
---  
  
"He's hungry?" Gene asked.  
  
"It could be a trick," Jim said. "The only way to feed him is to release him from the firewall. And then, he might be strong enough to break those bolts holding him to the wall."  
  
"I don't think it's a trick," Melfina said. "And I think I can arrange it so that he can't use the rest of his body. But Gene, I need you to feed him."  
  
"Is gruel okay?"  
  
"Gene!"  
"Okay, okay!! I'll make some soup."  
  
Jim snickered. "Yeah, the only food Gene can't screw up."  
  
"No," Melfina said, smiling. "He also makes sandwiches."  
  
Gene sighed, looking towards the ceiling. "Everybody's against me."  
  
---  
  
When Melfina returned, Harry was shaking, despite the firewall that held him back. "Why'd you leave?" he cried. "You just left! Don't leave me here, Melfina!"  
  
Melfina smiled gently. "I just wanted to feed you," she said. "Don't be angry."  
  
"A-angry?" Harry blinked, and his pupils dilated. "I'm not angry, Melfina. Not with you. Not ever."  
  
Melfina's smile wavered. "You're crazy," she stated. "Completely insane."  
  
Harry looked away. "I know."  
  
"I'm going to let you eat, now," Melfina continued. She reached her hands up through the firewall, and gently touched the sides of Harry's face.  
  
Harry blinked as the virtual domain faded slowly, and the more striking colors of real-life invaded his vision. Melfina was gone. "Melfina!"  
  
"Hey, it worked!" Jim exclaimed, looking up at Harry's face. "He's awake!"  
  
"Get away from there, Jim," Gene ordered. He walked forward with a bowl of soup and looked Harry in the eye. "Can you move?" he demanded.  
  
"N-no," Harry stammered. "Where's Melfina?"  
  
"Holding you in place," Jim said. "We're not taking our chances with a guy like you around. But Melfina said we ought to feed you, so we're gonna. I hope you like soup."  
  
"...Thank you," Harry said, reluctantly. "But how can I eat?"  
  
Gene held up a spoon full of soup. He blew across the top of it to cool it down. "It's a bit inelegant, but it'll have to do." He aimed the spoon for Harry's mouth.  
  
Harry tried to turn his head, but was completely unable to move any part of his body except for his mouth and eyes. He heard Melfina giggle in the back of his mind. /Just eat it,/ she said, /Gene's really nice, and you need to eat./  
  
"...Okay, Melfina," Harry said, opening his mouth to accept the soup. /Anything for you./  
  
---  
  
"Gillium?"  
  
"Yes, Melfina?"  
  
"Could you run a virus scan on Harry MacDougal?"  
  
"But, Melfina, he has been uploaded *as* a virus. Why would you want to--"  
  
"I think he's sick," Melfina cut in. "Just do it, please?"  
  
"Very well, Melfina."  
  
"Thank you, Gillium."  
  
---  
  
"You say he's got a *what*?!"  
  
"A virus," Melfina repeated. "It's a computer virus, like the sort that shut down electronic programs... but it affects him like a biological virus would."  
  
"And if that's the way it is," Jim said, "It could be contagious! Melfina might catch it!"  
  
"No," Gillium said. "Not while the firewall is in place. Let me show you the scan." An image of Harry's body and all of the circuitry that flowed through it, appeared on the screen. "As you can see, his right arm is completely mechanical, and the majority of the bones on the left side of his body are titanium, as well. This is probably all due to the intensive damages received in his battles with Gene. He has some damaged connections in his cerebral circuits, which we guess are the results of heavy-duty action and overloading from explosions. However, if you look at his left shoulder..." The image zoomed in on Harry's left shoulder.  
  
"I don't see anything," Gene said, confused.  
  
Jim snorted. "That's 'cause *you're* not a computer technician! Any technician worth his wire cutters can see what's wrong."  
  
"Well, then," Gene huffed, "...Gillium, please explain."  
  
Gillium used arrows to indicate the areas of Harry's shoulder and neck as he pointed them out. "The virus is located here. It is actually a physical virus--that's the tiny probe you see attached to the wiring right there. As a side effect of the firewall holding him in place, this virus has been stilled, and is currently inactive. However, we can observe how it affected him while operative."  
  
Red lines appeared on the close-up, leading from Harry's shoulder both down his left arm, and up into his neck. The image expanded slightly, so that the gathered crew of the /Outlaw Star/ could see the red lines extending throughout Harry's brain.  
  
"The red lines you see are pathways forged by the virus," Gillium went on. "We can tell, because the electronic signals are running backwards. While the charge coming from here..." A blue arrow indicated an area in the lower area of Harry's brain. "...To here..." Another blue arrow pointed to the virus probe. "...Should be running positive, negative, positive, the reality is that the probe is sending negative, positive, negative charges backwards through the wiring."  
  
"So, what does that do?" Asjia asked.  
  
"Basically, it means that the virus has taken over part of Harry's cerebral circuitry," Jim said. He put his hands behind his head and stared up at the image. "And because he's an android, that means that a lot of his actions have been influenced by the virus."  
  
"Scanning shows that, of 1762 operational electronic pathways in Harry's brain, 1483, or 84.2 percent, are backwards. It is possible that only 75 percent of those damaged pathways are a result of the virus. Due to the severe injuries he has faced, it is conceivable that the rest were jarred out of place by his dangerous lifestyle, and not the virus at all."  
  
"But it basically means that Harry MacDougal is one sick puppy, right?" Gene asked.  
  
"And severely mentally unbalanced," Gillium agreed.  
  
"But..." Melfina was frowning. "That virus... it would have had to be installed. Who would do such a thing?"  
  
"I dunno, Mel," Jim said. "But I'd like to take a closer look at it."  
  
"That is actually possible," Gillium said. "But it would require the removal of the probe."  
  
"Does Harry have an access panel from his shoulder?" Melfina asked. "One we could use to get to it?"  
  
"No," Gillium replied. "But I believe you can access his circuitry using the connection tube. If so, you will be able to remove the virus, save it for Jim, and Harry's nano-bots will take care of removing the dead probe."  
  
"Whaddaya say, Gene?" Jim asked. "Can we do it?"  
  
Gene shrugged. Then he gave them a grin. "Sure thing! Go for it."  
  
---  
  
"Now, tell me again what they're going to do?" Fred was sitting at his desk, sipping tea. He had dismissed his guards so that he could talk with Gene privately.  
  
"They're going to fish out some virus that Gillium says has been affecting Harry's head. Jim says it's what caused him to go crazy." Gene was sipping slowly at his own cup of hot tea, but not really tasting it.  
  
"That's actually an interesting concept," Fred said thoughtfully. He placed his teacup gently on the desk, folded his hands, and stared across the room at Gene. "It would be like a natural human catching a virus, say, the flu. Only it's not really a virus the way we think of one... it's a computer virus. Did Gillium say whether or not you could get Melfina immunized?"  
  
"Very funny, Fred," Gene replied dryly.  
  
Fred smiled. "You know I was joking. But honestly, isn't she upset about this whole thing?"  
  
Gene shrugged. "I dunno. I don't think she ever liked him in the first place. He stalks her, threatens her, he's even hit her... Frankly, I don't know why she's bothering to remove the virus."  
  
"Perhaps she wants to know what he's like when he's not, well, sick, as you said. He's really a very good looking young man..." Fred's smile grew. "I really can't blame her."  
  
Gene glared at him. "Would you get your head out of your pants, Fred? Melfina's not like that... she just cares too much about everybody around her."  
  
"Gene, do I make you nervous?"  
  
"What?!" Gene leaned forward and stared at Fred, surprised by the sudden change of subject.  
  
Fred kept his face even, although his hands were almost shaking. "I... I want to know if I make you nervous, Gene."  
  
Gene turned his head to the side, but kept his eyes warily on Fred. "...I'm not sure what you're asking, Fred."  
  
Fred licked his lips. "You and I... we've been friends for a long time, right Gene?"  
  
"...Yeah."  
  
"We've... confided in each other..."  
  
"...Yeah."  
  
"And helped each other..."  
  
"...Yeah."  
  
Fred tapped his foot nervously, and looked down at his desk. "Well... I guess that... I've just never known how you feel. About me." He gasped. "I...I mean...!! I mean, as a friend. You know I'm gay... you've known since we met..."  
  
"...And you never let me forget," Gene added. "What are you asking, Fred?"  
  
Fred slumped in his chair. "Well, it just seems like sometimes you don't want to be around me. Lately, I've been thinking that it happens whenever I do something... gay. Does it bother you, Gene?" He looked back up at Gene, his eyes worried and sad.  
  
Gene frowned. "If it bothered me, we wouldn't be friends," he said after a moment. Fred still didn't look satisfied. Gene thought for another second. "But sometimes you do lay it on a bit thick."  
  
Fred blinked. "What do you mean?"  
  
Gene sat back in his chair. "Well, I know it, and you know it. Jim knows it. Even Mel and Suzuka and Asjia know it by now. You don't have to constantly remind us."  
  
"Remind you? How am I doing that?"  
  
Gene stretched. "Well... the way you talk, sometimes... and what you talk about. Normal guys don't compliment their enemies on their good looks, you know."  
  
"I was making an observation!!" Fred cried. He sighed. "That's just the way I am, Gene. Can I help it if I notice the way a man looks before I find out anything else about him? What about you? You're the only man I know who would try to date the woman trying to kill him, simply because she looks good."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Fred chuckled. "Asjia happened to mention an offer you made to Suzuka..."  
  
"That's it," Gene growled. "The Gkitaro-Gkitaro goes."  
  
"Gene!" Fred laughed. "She just likes to tease you. But..." He stopped laughing, and sobered quickly. "But this is about me. I don't like to bother you, Gene."  
  
Gene took a long sip of his tea, which was cool, by now. He closed his eyes. "Maybe you just haven't had a boyfriend in too long, Fred." The corner of his mouth twitched. "Yeah, that's the problem. You haven't gotten any in a long time, and you're taking it out on the rest of us. So come on, Fred, tell me--is there some guy out there you've had your eye on? Someone you can go pick up and take out. Get a fix?"  
  
Fred frowned and looked away. "I've had my eye on someone... but I'm not into quick flings like you are, Gene."  
  
"So, court 'em first. Lay on the charm, try some flowers and candy, and see if he's willing to settling in for a bit."  
  
"And what if he keeps leaving every time I try to ask him?"  
  
"Hn?" Gene opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow. "On the move a lot? Business man?"  
  
Fred shook his head. "...Not really."  
  
"Politician?"  
  
"Oh, Gods, no!!"  
  
"So, what is it about him? Good looks? His job? Attitude? I don't think you'd be worried about his payroll."  
  
Fred rolled his shoulders and looked distinctly like he was sulking. "No, I do worry about his payroll. I'm practically in charge of it. And I'd rather he quit his job, but he'd never listen to me!"  
  
"Hn?" Gene tilted his head, thoroughly confused. "You're in charge of his payroll? Is it one of your employees? A contact in another system? If you control the paycheck, then why can't you just fire him?"  
  
"No, no..." Fred pressed his fingertips against his temples. "It's not like that... Gene..."  
  
"Well?" Gene was leaning forward in his chair again. "Now you've got me curious, Freddie-boy. Who are you so stressed out over?"  
  
Fred turned back to look at Gene. Defeated. Miserable. He could not meet Gene's eyes. "You."  
  
---  
---  
  



	5. Part Five

To the readers at ff.net:  
  
I appreciate your comments and requests for more very much! I'm afraid this is a *very* long story. The first 'book' is complete, at nine chapters, but due to real life conflicts, I have not finished the second 'book', yet. I am reaching inspiration, though, and will be able to work on it, soon. You will notice, I'm sure, that the characters become increasingly sappy and out-of-character through the rest of this book; for that, I offer my apologies, but it's what my muse told me to do.  
  
---  
  
Experienced Outlaw Star fans:  
  
Allow me to beg your forgiveness. This is my first OS fanfiction, and as of yet, unfinished. The characters are as I see them, having only watched the series twice through. If you don't like the way I spell the names, that's your problem.  
  
This is a alternate time line fic, which means it does not follow the time line set by the actual series. Actually, it follows a similar time line, but at some point it breaks off into a paradox and becomes a different story entirely.  
  
---  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the pictures in my head. Original characters do belong to me.  
  
Warning: As of yet, this is an alternate time line fic, with yaoi (m/m), het (m/f), and humor. Small dashes of sap, language and angst thrown in for good measure. Pairings--wouldn't you just like to know? This fic reaches into the very edges of lime, but do not expect any lemons. If you don't know what that means, email me and expect to be embarrassed. Underage people are drinking--don't try this at home!  
  
Author: Kasey  
  
Archive: Not unless I send it to you.  
  
Status: Incomplete, self-edited.  
  
Key: /italics/ and *emphasis*  
  
---  
  
"At a Minute or Two 'Till Two, Today"  
  
---  
  
-Part Five-  
  
---  
  
"Why are we moving back here, Gene?" Jim asked. "I was kinda getting used to that big bedroom."  
  
"Just unlock the door," Gene replied, his face masked. They were standing outside the Starwind and Hawking warehouse that Fred had kept cleaned and claimed while they were away from Hayfong. Now, they were moving back in. "We can't live off of Fred's charity forever, and it'll be a few days before Mel's ready for us to get rid of that Harry MacDougal."  
  
"It makes sense," Suzuka said. She was there to help them readjust, and to move Harry MacDougal in, as well. "It's better to have MacDougal here, anyway. There's more room, and it will be easier to keep an eye on him."  
  
"Then we'd better go get him," Jim said. "I hope Mel's got him ready."  
  
---  
  
"What are you doing?" Harry asked Melfina. She was studying his left shoulder intently, from behind him. "I don't like not being able to see your face," he said softly. "Please come around so I can talk to you."  
  
Melfina turned him so that they were facing. "How long have you been crazy?" she asked.  
  
Harry blinked. "I...I don't know. As long as I can remember, I think."  
  
"Did you know you have a virus?"  
  
"Wh-what?!" Harry's eyes flew wide open. "What kind of virus?"  
  
Melfina used her command of her domain to bring up the images Gillium had used to demonstrate Harry's problem for the crew of the /Outlaw Star/. Harry stared at them.  
  
"At some point, a virus was implanted in your left shoulder," Melfina said. "It's taken over a great deal of your body, particularly the connections between your nerves."  
  
Harry swallowed. He looked back at Melfina. "Why are you telling me this?" he demanded. "Why? You're just going to kill me... did you have to tell me?"  
  
"I don't..." Melfina stopped. She glanced away. "We're going to remove the virus," she said, finally. "I have to do it from here, and the nano-bots in your real body will remove the probe."  
  
Harry was astounded. "You'll... you'll do that, for me?"  
  
Melfina smiled shyly. "Well... Jim wants to take a look at the virus... and, well... *I* wouldn't want to have a virus, so..."  
  
"Thank you," Harry said. "Thank you, Melfina."  
"I haven't done it yet," Melfina replied, shrugging her shoulders. "We're going to move you, first. I'm plugging you into Gillium's portable computer, so the firewall won't break."  
  
"I won't hurt you, Melfina," Harry insisted. "I'd never hurt you. Not again. I'm so sorry for what happened..."  
  
"I... I know," Melfina said. She looked down. "But you keep trying to hurt Gene, and he's my friend."  
  
"Gene!" Harry's eyes narrowed. "Melfina, forget him! He's not like us! He doesn't understand..."  
  
"And neither do you!" Melfina snapped. She whirled around so that her back was to Harry. "You don't understand, either." Then, she disappeared.  
  
"No--!" Harry knew he was too late. Why did he keep chasing her away? All he wanted was for her to know how he felt, how much he longed for her... And every time he got closer to her, he pushed her off of another cliff and she could never forgive him.  
  
"Damn!" he cried. "Melfina, please come back!!"  
  
---  
  
By the time Gene, Suzuka, and Jim had arrived at the space port, Melfina had successfully attached Harry to a small, portable computer. The uploading had included her firewalls, so Harry was still unable to access use of his body.  
  
"We're here!" Jim said, announcing their presence.  
  
Melfina was sitting in Asjia's seat, looking at Harry. She stood up. "Hello."  
  
"Are you done?" Suzuka asked. "Were there any problems?"  
  
"No," Melfina answered. "The transfer went smoothly."  
  
Gene frowned. "Mel, are you feeling okay? Did that guy try to--"  
  
"No!" Melfina shook her head vehemently. "No, I'm okay. Harry doesn't want to hurt me, Gene."  
  
---  
  
Fred stood in his office, staring out the window that overlooked the lake in his "backyard."  
  
The guards on either side of the door to his office had sensed he was tense, but were not sure just *how* tense until he suddenly yelled at them to leave him alone.  
  
So he was alone.  
  
Fred sighed. He could have guessed that by telling Gene how he felt, he would chase the other man away. But still, he had hoped...  
  
Gene had been right. He was frustrated, and really quite lonely. When the crew of the /Outlaw Star/ was around, all Fred wanted to be was cheerful and accommodating, simply because he liked to see his friends happy.  
  
But now...  
  
A tap on the window startled Fred, and it took him a few moments to realize that Suzuka was stepping in though the balcony door. As it dawned upon him, Fred gasped and backed up towards his desk. "T-Twilight Suzuka!"  
  
Suzuka smiled. "You don't have to worry," she said calmly. "My agreement with Gene prevents me from fulfilling my contract, as of yet. Besides, it's long past midnight." She pointed to the ornate clock on the wall above the door.  
  
Fred looked behind him. It was almost 1AM. He sighed, relieved.  
  
"I don't think I'll fill my contract, anyhow," Suzuka continued conversationally. "The man I am working for has received a sudden change of funds, and tells me he is unable to pull together the money to pay me. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"  
  
Fred sat down in his chair. "Of course not," he lied, smiling. "I would never pressure anyone's business partners into seeing things my way. It's simply not my style. Please have a seat," he offered, gesturing towards a chair on the other side of his desk.  
  
"Thank you," Suzuka said, sitting. She smiled back at him. "I didn't think you had anything to do with it. Now, tell me, why are you up at such a late hour?"  
  
"I could ask the same thing of you," Fred countered evenly. "I understand that invading a workplace in the early AM hours is not exactly commonplace."  
  
"Neither is burning the midnight oil on a Sunday," Suzuka said. "So, you chased him away again?"  
  
Fred's eyes widened. "What? Who?" he asked.  
  
"Gene. He moved back to the Starwind and Hawking building."  
  
"Oh," Fred sighed. "Gene."  
Suzuka nodded, studying Fred's expression.  
  
"Well... why do you think I chased him away?" Fred asked warily, after a moment.  
  
Suzuka gave him an understanding look. "To one who prefers to observe, it is easy to tell your emotions concerning Gene Starwind. You're in love with him."  
  
Despite his careful upbringing, Fred's shoulders sagged and he slouched in his chair. "To put it bluntly, yes," he confirmed. "But you didn't come here to rub my nose in that, I hope."  
  
"You told him, didn't you?"  
  
"You're very good at this, you know," Fred said, his voice a bit tight. "I was feeling bad enough before you came in, and now I'm feeling worse. Do you mind?"  
  
"I'm curious," Suzuka said. "You and Gene seem to be good friends."  
  
"For about four and a half years, now," Fred said. "I hired him to track down some missing cargo, and it took longer than expected. We got to be friends..."  
  
"And you fell in love with him," Suzuka finished.  
  
"Well..." Fred frowned. "Not until about a year later, I think. But why are you so interested in this? It doesn't do me any good. Or Gene. He doesn't care that I like men, but it bothers him that I--"  
  
"...Am attracted to him. He's a very good-looking man, and you're about the same age," Suzuka said.  
  
"Actually, he's a year younger than I am."  
  
"I'd have thought it was the other way around," Suzuka commented, raising an eyebrow. "You look much younger."  
  
"Well, thanks." Fred sighed. "The problem is with me, and there's nothing I can do about it. I may be attracted to Gene, but it's like one north magnet chasing another. Every time I move closer, he moves that much farther away. I want positive-positive, he wants positive-negative. Completely incompatible."  
  
"A problem?" Suzuka asked.  
  
"I'm gay!!" Fred shouted, standing up.  
  
Suzuka sat in the chair, watching him, not at all surprised by his outburst.  
  
Fred put a hand to his forehead, closed his eyes, and visibly composed himself. He sat back down slowly. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I shouldn't be this strung-up. The problem is that I like men, and Gene likes women. End of story. I'm chasing the end of the rainbow." He laughed quietly. "Doesn't that make for a beautiful analogy? The end of the rainbow..."  
  
"What did Gene say when you told him?" Suzuka asked.  
  
"Nothing," Fred whispered. He folded his hands on the desk, and stared at them. "He just nodded, stood up, and left."  
  
"Sounds like Gene."  
  
"Maybe I'm just worried that I've lost my best friend," Fred mused, sitting back in his chair. "I pushed my limits, and broke them. It's not that I can't handle Gene not returning my feelings, it's that I'm afraid he won't be my friend anymore. Suzuka, perhaps you'd better go. I think I'm going to find a nice, quiet, all-night bar, and drink myself into oblivion."  
  
Suzuka closed her eyes and stayed where she was. "It sounds like you're trying to run away from the problem."  
  
Fred stood up again. "No... I can't be running away. I reached a dead-end, and I'm cutting my losses and turning back. The business man's approach." He smiled lopsidedly. "Like a candy company losing value on the stock market. I'll just look back on this in five years, laugh, and think of what a fool I was. Excuse me, I think I hear a daiquiri calling me."  
  
With that, Fred strode across the room. At the door, he turned, bowed stiffly to Suzuka, turned back around, opened the door, and walked out.  
  
Suzuka did nothing until the door had shut behind Fred. Then she smiled, and chuckled.  
  
"There is only one all-night bar on this side of town," she said to herself as she walked to the balcony door. "And Gene is currently drowning his problems, too." She stepped outside, carefully closing the door behind them. "What a strange coincidence."  
  
---  
  
"You've had enough, Gene," the bartender said, wiping out a glass with a wet rag.  
  
"Nope," Gene mumbled. He was sitting at the bar, propping his head up with one hand. His eyes were closed. "I still know my name. Gimmie another one."  
  
"It's past one, Gene. Why don't you head home? You're never out this late," the bartender said, shaking his head.  
  
"I can't never be out this late," Gene said. "If I was never out this late, I wouldn't be here right now."  
  
"What happened? A pretty girl dumped you? Business problems?"  
  
"...Naw..."  
  
The bartender shook his head. "I don't know what to say. It may be good for business, but you're going to have hell, tomorrow, Gene. I don't know anyone who can drink one of those..." He pointed to the empty glass in Gene's hand. "...And not wake up with a hangover."  
  
"How many is this?" Gene asked, lifting the glass.  
  
"Three of those, plus a shot of whiskey and two beers."  
  
"I c'n handle the whiskey and beer," Gene said. "...Good. I'll have three hangovers."  
  
The bartender sighed. "I don't think it works that way." He looked up, over Gene's shoulder. "Good morning," he said. "Can I help you?"  
  
"A daiquiri," Gene heard the newcomer say. Gene stiffened, recognizing the voice. "And a pint of whatever you've got that causes heartburn."  
  
Gene spun around on his stool. "Fred!"  
  
---  
  
Fred and Gene sat across from each other in a booth in a corner of the bar. Fred quickly downed his first daiquiri, and then two more. Gene decided he could not get any more drunk without killing himself, so he sat and watched Fred drink.  
  
It was quiet, except for Fred occasionally asking the bartender for another drink. At 2AM, they were the only ones in the bar.  
  
"...You left pretty suddenly," Fred said quietly, finally breaking the silence.  
  
Gene closed his eyes. Fred sounded pretty hurt. He could not really blame him. "Sorry."  
  
"I scared you off, didn't I?" Fred did not wait for an answer, knowing he would not get one. "I figured I was going to, eventually."  
  
"...It was time we moved back, anyways," Gene replied. He knew his response was pretty weak.  
  
Fred knew, too. "I did mean what I said, Gene," he said softly. "But I don't want to stop being friends."  
  
"Me neither." Gene gave Fred a small smile.  
  
Fred smiled back briefly. "But it bothers you, doesn't it?"  
  
Gene's smile faded. "...What does?"  
  
"That..." Fred took a long swallow of his fourth daiquiri. "...That I'm attracted to you."  
  
Gene raised an eyebrow. "I *knew* you were... attracted, to me... You only leave innuendoes everywhere you walk..."  
  
Fred shook his head. "No, no... I meant that I'm in love with you. That bothers you."  
  
"...Yeah," Gene said. "I think it does. A little." He frowned. "I don't know why."  
  
"I'm sorry," Fred sighed. "I... You can just forget it, okay? I hate being a bother to you, I really do..."  
  
"Forget what?"  
  
"Forget what I said!"  
  
Gene snorted. "How am I supposed to forget *that*?"  
  
"I don't *care*," Fred groaned. He tossed back the rest of his daiquiri. "Just forget it. So we can be friends."  
  
Gene tilted his head. "So it's just like that? Snap, you don't like me anymore?" He snapped his fingers to emphasize his question.  
  
Fred shook his head. "No, I still like you... but just... just as a friend."  
  
Gene leaned forward over the table. "Fred," he drawled, "I think you're lying."  
  
Fred raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think that?"  
  
Gene grinned. "Because you're my friend. And I know you. You don't give up on things that easy, Fred."  
  
Fred looked down at his empty glass. "No..." he said, reluctantly. "I... I guess not..."  
  
Gene reached a hand over and rested it on Fred's shoulder. "It's not that you bother me, Fred," he said, "It's just that you're always so open about it. It makes me nervous."  
  
Fred blinked at the weight of Gene's hand on his shoulder. "...What?"  
Gene smiled, letting the alcohol in his system take over. "Fred, it's not you. It's not gay. I don't care. It doesn't bother me at all. I kind of like it. But I'm not used to people flaunting it, you know?"  
  
Fred leaned forward. "You... kind of like it? Gene?"  
  
"Fred, I'm drunk," Gene said slowly, making sure that his words were clear. "But don't let that get you wrong. I notice other men, too. I just prefer women, okay?"  
  
Fred tilted his head. "I never notice women..."  
  
Gene grinned. "Ever tried one?"  
  
"A number of times. All complete failures." Fred sighed. "Gene, why do I have such a high tolerance for alcohol? I should be drunk by now, I know I should..."  
  
"Give it a couple of minutes," Gene said. "Or try one of those awful mixes I had. Tastes like turpentine and feels like glue, but the guy promised me a hangover. I think it's 99-proof."  
  
"Oh, good." Fred called up for the drink, and a moment later, the bartender walked by with a glass.  
  
"Good luck," the bartender mumbled as Fred paid for his drinks. Then he left.  
  
Fred took a sip of the drink, and grimaced. "It tastes like coke mixed in cognac, with a stale strawberry fizz as chaser."  
  
"Close enough," Gene said. "Drink up."  
  
Fred closed his eyes and took a long draught of the mix. "Ah!" he gasped after swallowing. "Yes, I am going to have a hangover. Yes, yes, yes..."  
  
"What were we talking about?" Gene asked as Fred took another sip.  
  
Fred swallowed. "Men."  
  
"Good topic."  
  
"That's what I always say. So, have *you* ever slept with another man?"  
  
"Once."  
  
Fred stopped just before taking another sip of his drink. "Once?"  
  
Gene frowned. "Yeah. And he was a sadistic bastard, too."  
Fred shook his head. "No wonder you prefer women. You've never slept with a good man. That's an offer, Gene Starwind."  
  
Gene chuckled. "An offer? Are you a good man, Fred?"  
  
Fred drank the rest of his drink down. He sighed, and slitted his eyes open just enough to look into Gene's eyes. "You tell me," he said slowly, smiling.  
  
Gene tilted his head and met Fred's eyes. "You know, Fred," he said softly, "I am *just* drunk enough..."  
  
--- 


	6. Part Six

Experienced Outlaw Star fans:  
  
Allow me to beg your forgiveness. This is my first OS fanfiction, and as of yet, unfinished. The characters are as I see them, having only watched the series twice through. If you don't like the way I spell the names, that's your problem.  
  
This is a alternate time line fic, which means it does not follow the time line set by the actual series. Actually, it follows a similar time line, but at some point it breaks off into a paradox and becomes a different story entirely.  
  
---  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the pictures in my head. Original characters do belong to me.  
  
Warning: As of yet, this is an alternate time line fic, with yaoi (m/m), het (m/f), and humor. Small dashes of sap, language and angst thrown in for good measure. Pairings--wouldn't you just like to know? This fic reaches into the very edges of lime, but do not expect any lemons. If you don't know what that means, email me and expect to be embarrassed. Underage people are drinking--don't try this at home!  
  
Author: Kasey  
  
Archive: Not unless I send it to you.  
  
Status: Incomplete, self-edited.  
  
Key: /italics/ and *emphasis*  
  
---  
  
"At a Minute or Two 'Till Two, Today"  
  
---  
  
-Part Six-  
  
---  
  
"Jim?"  
  
"Morning, Melfina! I made breakfast, since you were asleep."  
  
"Jim, where's Gene?"  
  
"Isn't he here? He must not have come home last night."  
  
"I hope he's okay..."  
  
---  
  
Gene grumbled. He could feel sunlight on his face, but refused to open his eyes. A parakeet that had seen far more than it should have earlier that morning, was chirping near the window. Gene *harumphed* and turned over.  
  
"Mmm..." Fred scooted closer to the warm body that was protecting his face from the evil rays of the late morning sunlight. He sighed as a hand ran down his shoulder, side, and hip, stopping to pull him even closer.  
  
It was about twenty more minutes before Gene finally opened his eyes. When he did, he decided that it wasn't worth it, and buried his nose in Fred's hair.  
  
"...Gene?"  
  
"Mhm?"  
  
"...I've got a hangover."  
  
"...Me too."  
  
"Aspirin?"  
  
"Mhm."  
  
"I'll go get a glass of water."  
  
Fred groaned as he sat up. As if the pounding in his head wasn't enough, the strain on his body from his night with Gene made the rest of him sore, too. He rolled off of the bed and slowly made his way to the bathroom, not bothering to grab a robe.  
  
By the time Fred returned with two small glasses of water and the aspirin tablets, Gene had managed to sit up on the soft, rumpled bed. The red-haired man was holding his temples, trying to figure out how ten hippopotami managed to get licenses to drive semi-trailers through his head.  
  
"Here." Fred handed Gene a glass and two tablets, and there was silence as both men took the pills and finished off the water. Fred took Gene's glass and set it with his own on the bedside table. He sat down. "Better?" he asked.  
  
Gene smiled. "Much better."  
  
"Mm-mm," Fred said, crawling closer to Gene and hugging him. "I meant better than the other man."  
  
Gene groaned and lay back down, taking Fred with him. When they had readjusted under the covers, Gene nuzzled Fred's hair. "Absolutely. Not even comparable."  
  
Fred ran a hand down Gene's back and started massaging the muscles there. "Good."  
  
Gene closed his eyes. "Oh... that feels good, Fred."  
  
Fred pressed harder, digging his fingers and thumbs into the tight muscles in Gene's back. "Want more?" he asked.  
  
"Mm... yeah." Gene flipped onto his stomach and rested his head on a soft pillow. Fred straddled Gene's hips and started kneading away slowly and evenly, earning soft moans and gasps to fall from Gene's lips.  
  
"Did you really enjoy last night... this morning?" Fred asked.  
  
"Mmmm.... Very much." Gene smiled against the pillow. "'M glad I let you talk me into it."  
  
Fred reached up to massage the base of Gene's neck, causing the other man to groan softly. "Thank you..." He was quiet for a minute, listening to the soft pleased noises Gene was making as he worked the knots out of his muscles. "Gene?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Will... will you ever want to do this again?"  
  
Gene turned his head so that he could look Fred in the eye. This meant turning his entire body, and soon Gene was sitting up with Fred straddling his lap, each holding the other close and looking into bright eyes.  
  
"Fred..." Gene began, "...I've had women who were better." Fred's face fell. Gene went on. "But not many. Only one or two. And it was all one-night slam-bam, thank you, ma'am. And I've had a lot of women." Fred was still unsure of where Gene was heading with this, and it showed on his face. Gene pressed his head forward, and his lips met Fred's.  
  
"...Gene," Fred whispered as they pulled apart. "I don't--"  
  
"You," Gene cut in, "Just gave me one of the best nights of my life, *and* you're my friend, and if you even *think* I'm not going to take advantage of that... you must not know me as well as I thought you did."  
  
Fred laughed. Then he groaned and held his head. "Oh... my head!!"  
  
"Don't laugh, it makes it all ten times worse," Gene advised. "Here." He used the tips of his fingers to rub at Fred's temples. Fred sighed and let his hands fall down onto Gene's shoulders.  
  
"...Thanks. Feels better."  
  
"Good."  
  
"Gene?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Wanna move back in with me?"  
  
"Mmm... can't. We're already set up back at home..."  
  
"Damn."  
  
---  
  
"Gene!!" Jim attacked his friend the minute he walked through the door. "Where *were* you?! We looked everywhere. Suzuka's gone to train, she said... she left this morning right after breakfast... And we had *three* calls with job offers come in from people who saw the /Outlaw Star/ at the space port... And Asjia got a job at some sports arena, so she'll be out until late."  
  
"Jim, little buddy," Gene said. "Let me tell you something." He knelt down so that he could look Jim in the eye. "Every now and then, grown-ups have to do something called, 'go out and get stone drunk.' I've taken care of that, and as soon as I get some clean clothes, I'll be ready to work, okay?"  
  
Jim blinked, frowning. "What do you mean? Where'd you spend the night, Gene?"  
  
"I met Fred at the bar. His chauffeur took us back to his place." Gene carefully omitted anything involving his actions with Fred, because he was unsure of how the boy would take it.  
  
"Okay." Jim sighed. "Well, go get changed, then. Two of the jobs are delivery only, high prices to make sure the packages don't get broken... and the other one is a tugboat operation. There's a cruise ship broken down right outside of Hayfong, and all the normal tugboats are either busy or broken down."  
  
"...Swell."  
  
---  
  
Two days later, Melfina was ready to remove the virus from Harry's shoulder. Jim and Gillium were standing by to help with technical aid, and Gene stood by Harry, in case the firewall broke during the removal.  
  
"Ready?" Jim asked.  
  
"Yes," Melfina said. She pressed her hand against an apparatus they had set up, a sort of scanner. A moment later, she was floating in her virtual domain.  
  
"Melfina!" Harry exclaimed, smiling. "I was wondering when you would come back." He stopped as his noticed the girl's concentrating expression. "Melfina? What's wrong?"  
  
"I'm going to remove the virus, now," she replied. "I need you... to relax. Just relax. And don't fight."  
  
Harry smiled and closed his eyes. "I'd never fight you, Mel."  
  
Melfina blinked at Harry's use of her nickname. She circled around Harry for a moment, before stepping behind him and resting her hands on his shoulders.  
  
Immediately, she was flowing along Harry's wiring, stopping occasionally at tiny chips and circuit boards. She stopped as the virus probe came into view.  
  
"That's it," she whispered. A firewall was holding it in place, but she could see the virtual evil pulsing through, trying to break free. She acted quickly. A command programmed by Jim saved a copy of the virus in a heavily guarded file. "I've got it, Jim," she said.  
  
In real time, Jim nodded. He pulled a small disk out of the computer. "Got it, Mel," he responded. "Go ahead and trash that thing."  
  
Melfina nodded. Using the command of her domain, she shrunk the firewall, crushing the virus. When it became small enough, she used a simple delete to get rid of the virus once and for all.  
  
Harry groaned. If it weren't for the firewall holding him in place, he would have been thrashing around in pain. As his direction of energy flow reversed to the correct alignment, his nerves tensed and pinched.  
  
Melfina gasped. The virus had not gone when she used the delete command. "Jim!" she called, "It's still here."  
  
"Break it up," Jim recommended, typing away at his keyboard to see what was causing the hold-up. "See if you can break it down into its component parts, file, commands, and database."  
  
"Okay," Melfina said. "I'll try."  
  
"How's it going?" Gene asked. Harry was still immobile.  
  
"The virus didn't go when Mel tried to delete it," Jim answered. "Not much I can do except keep the firewalls in place."  
  
Gene frowned, and turned his attention back to Harry.  
  
In Melfina's virtual domain, Harry was nearing the breaking point of his restraints. The pain from Melfina's battle against the virus was spurring him into insane action, and he struggled against the firewall.  
  
"Stop fighting, Harry!" Melfina cried. "I can't concentrate!"  
  
"Mel...fina," Harry moaned. "I can't..."  
  
Melfina bit her lip, trying to pull the compacted virus apart. She let out a small breath of relief as she hit on the file, and a command fell out. She crushed it quickly. The virus flared and tried to bite back at her, but she moved out of the way, and started on another side of it.  
  
Harry squirmed. He was starting to break the firewall. "Melfina," he gasped. "The firewall..."  
  
Jim saw the red flashing on his screen just as the firewall splintered. "Gene! He's out!!"  
  
Gene growled and tensed, ready for Harry to break loose. The young man's body arched against the bolts holding him down, and he opened his red eyes wide, screaming.  
  
Melfina shrieked as she felt Harry destroy the firewall. The backlash shot through her head, and she stopped her attack on the virus, falling to her knees momentarily. Then she launched herself at the virus again, determined to break it before it broke through, as well.  
  
"Melfina!" Harry yelled. "No, Melfina! Let go!!" He was starting to stretch the bolts around his wrists and ankles. "Get out of there, please... Melfina..." His voice trailed away into a despairing moan.  
  
"Jim!" Melfina called. "I need a wedge, anything!"  
  
"Use a radio wave," Jim said. "I'm stabilizing the firewall right now."  
  
Melfina saw the firewall around the virus crackle and strengthen. "Thanks, Jim," she panted. "I'm going in, now." She aimed a radio signal directly at the heart of the virus probe, and let it go.  
  
Harry roared in pain. He wrenched his right arm free of the bolt, and clapped his hand against his shoulder. Gene leapt forward to pull him back down. However, he reached for Harry's right arm, which was completely bionic, and much stronger than a normal arm. In reflex, Harry flung Gene across the room.  
  
Melfina gasped as the virus probe crumpled before her eyes. The virus flared briefly, and disappeared. The firewall disappeared almost as quickly. "Jim!" she called. "What happened?"  
  
"I think Harry killed the probe," Jim replied. He licked dry lips as he searched through Melfina's domain for any signs of the virus. "I can't find the virus anywhere. You got it!!"  
  
"How's Harry?" Melfina asked quickly. In the main net of her domain, she let go of Harry's shoulders, disconnecting her access to his circuitry. She could see him again. He was curled into a ball, clutching his shoulder.  
  
"Not good," Jim said. He was studying the play-by-play virus scans Gillium was running over Harry. "His wiring's all rerouting itself. He's gonna have one heck of a headache. His nerves are shot, and he's blown two programming chips, a connector, and a fuse."  
  
Melfina knelt next to Harry, drawing him into her arms. "Harry, Harry," she whispered. "It's gone, now. Calm down. The virus is gone."  
  
Harry refused to relax. His shoulder was throbbing both in real time, and in Melfina's domain. Melfina held him close, softly rubbing his wounded shoulder.  
  
Gene watched as Harry's real body slowly un-tensed. Eventually, Harry's right hand fell away from his left shoulder, and he closed his eyes.  
  
Minutes later, Harry leaned his head against Melfina's arm. "...Thank you, Melfina," he managed to whisper. "Thank you."  
  
Melfina smiled. "You're going to need some time to recover," she said softly. "I'll stay here with you."  
  
"Mel..."  
  
"Jim," Melfina said, "I'm going to stay here for a while. Is everything okay out there?"  
  
Jim looked around. Gene was putting new restraining bolts on Harry's real body, and Melfina's real body was sitting comfortably in a soft chair nearby, her hand still on the scanner. " Yeah, it looks okay. Harry's shoulder is a bit bruised, and Gene took a bit of a blow from him when he trashed the firewall, but other than that, everything looks pretty calm."  
  
"Calm," Gene muttered, rubbing his back where he had hit the wall just minutes earlier. "Bull."  
  
Jim snickered. "I'm setting the firewall back in, okay?"  
  
"Jim?"  
  
"Yeah, Mel?"  
  
"Can you make the firewall a bit bigger?"  
  
Jim blinked. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Make it large enough that he can move around, but only a little," Melfina said. "So he can get comfortable."  
  
"Comfortable?" Jim repeated. "Okay, I guess..."  
  
Harry looked up into Melfina's face as she conversed with Jim. "Mel?" he asked. "Why are you..."  
  
"Shhh," Melfina admonished him. "You should rest. And you can't rest unless you're comfortable, right?" As Jim adjusted the range of the firewall, Melfina stretched it, until it formed a sort of box around Harry, large enough for him to move around and lie down. She was inside.  
  
"I can pass through the firewall," Melfina said, smiling. "This will make it a little easier on you, I think." She used more commands to make a virtual bed for Harry to lie on, and helped him onto it. "Sleep," she said.  
  
"Thank you, Melfina," Harry said, gingerly lying down. He winced as his shoulder touched the bedding. "I... I owe you so much."  
  
"Jim helped," Melfina said, tucking him in. "And Gillium. And Gene--Don't get mad!" she cried, suddenly. "I hate it when you get mad at him!"  
  
Harry shook his head. "I won't get mad. He helped. I have no reason to be mad at him, Melfina. I want to thank him." He smiled. "And your other friends."  
  
Melfina tilted her head. "You mean it? You're not going to yell about him?"  
  
"Of course not!" Harry laughed. His laughter turned into a grunt of pain, and he stopped quickly. "I have no reason to yell at him. He hasn't done anything wrong."  
  
Melfina pressed her hand against Harry's forehead. "How do you feel?" she asked.  
  
"Except for my shoulder, I've just got a headache," Harry replied. "And I think I blew a connector in my arm." He lifted his right arm and flexed his hand. His fourth finger did not move. He grimaced. "Thought so."  
  
"Jim said you've lost two programming chips and a fuse," Melfina said, frowning. "I think we can help replace them..."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Harry said, smiling. "My nano's are always replacing the chips, and when I got my new arm, the scientist upgraded me, so the fuses are just extra. I don't use them at all."  
  
Melfina's face brightened. "Really?"  
  
"Yeah..." Harry's smile widened. "You're beautiful, Melfina," he murmured after a moment. "Here, and out there," he said, comparing Melfina's domain to real time. "I've never seen anyone more beautiful than you. Your eyes..."  
  
Melfina blinked, her eyes wide. "Do you... do you still...?" she asked warily.  
  
"Love you?" Harry finished for her. "Of course! Why wouldn't I? You're the most amazing girl I've ever met. Even if I don't know the first thing about you--"  
  
"Wait!" Melfina cut in. "...I... I thought you said you understood?"  
  
"Understood?" Harry asked. "Understood what?"  
  
Melfina frowned. "You always insist you know... who I am. Why I am." She lowered her eyes sadly.  
  
"Melfina..." Harry reached up with his right arm, and stroked the black hair that fell down over Melfina's shoulders. "Ron told me you were designed as part of a navigation program to reach the Galactic Leyline. The Kay pirates gave the scientist Gwen Khan a bunch of ancient information, and told him to make a ship that could reach the Leyline. But he couldn't decipher all of the information, and couldn't leave it in the computer. The computer had to be sentient in order to communicate with the outside world. It took him years, but he managed to create you and Gillium..." He watched as Melfina slowly took in this information. "Then Hilda stole the ship, and you. Ron and I were there when it happened. And we sell information. That's... that's all I know."  
  
Melfina was quiet for a few minutes. "Thank you... for telling me," she said slowly. "I guess... I guess you did know more than we did."  
  
"Mel..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Harry was still stroking the lock of hair on Melfina's shoulder. He rubbed the strands of hair between his thumb and forefinger. "Khan... he had to use a bio-android to make the sentient navigation system." He gave Melfina a soft smile. "Bio-androids are people, too. You're not *just* a navigation system, Mel," he said. "It's extra programming. Like the way Ron and I fight. You weren't programmed to fight, but you can, if you have to. I'm not programmed to navigate, but I can. I just don't have the extra details you do."  
  
Melfina smiled. She put her hand over Harry's. "Thank you." Harry turned his hand to gently squeeze Melfina's. Then he closed his eyes, and fell asleep.  
  
---  
---  
  



	7. 

Experienced Outlaw Star fans:  
  
Allow me to beg your forgiveness. This is my first OS fanfiction, and as of yet, unfinished. The characters are as I see them, having only watched the series twice through. If you don't like the way I spell the names, that's your problem.  
  
This is a alternate time line fic, which means it does not follow the time line set by the actual series. Actually, it follows a similar time line, but at some point it breaks off into a paradox and becomes a different story entirely.  
  
---  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the pictures in my head. Original characters do belong to me.  
  
Warning: As of yet, this is an alternate time line fic, with yaoi (m/m), het (m/f), and humor. Small dashes of sap, language and angst thrown in for good measure. Pairings--wouldn't you just like to know? This fic reaches into the very edges of lime, but do not expect any lemons. If you don't know what that means, email me and expect to be embarrassed. Underage people are drinking--don't try this at home!  
  
Author: Kasey  
  
Archive: Not unless I send it to you.  
  
Status: Incomplete, self-edited.  
  
Key: /italics/ and *emphasis*  
  
---  
  
"At a Minute or Two 'Till Two, Today"  
  
---  
  
-Part Seven-  
  
---  
  
"How'd it go?" Fred asked as Gene walked into his office. The office was the only place to find Fred during business hours, and Gene had even called ahead to tell Fred he was coming. Consequently, Fred had two steaming cups of tea waiting when he arrived.  
  
"Great," Gene grumbled. "Harry broke out and threw me across the room." He accepted a cup of tea, and took a sip. "And Melfina feels like she's gotta play nursemaid, because he's recovering, or something like that. Fred... does your computer require a rest period after you de-bug it?"  
  
Fred chuckled. "Of course not! But remember, because Harry is a bio-android, his virus affected him like a regular virus would affect us. And we *do* need to rest after we've been sick."  
  
Gene smiled. "You're looking a lot better, Fred. Less tense?"  
  
"Now that I can sit down again," Fred said, grinning. He rubbed his backside. "I could barely *walk* two days ago... Not that I'm complaining."  
  
Gene raised an eyebrow. "Are you planning on walking tomorrow?"  
  
"Hn?" Fred tilted his head. "Gene?"  
  
Gene smirked. "I can do my best to make sure you *can't* walk tomorrow. Hmm, Freddie-boy?"  
  
"Accepted," Fred announced. "Will you be here for dinner, too?"  
  
Gene shook his head. "Nope. I've got a quick delivery to make then. How about around eight?"  
  
"Sounds good to me! But Gene..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Can we not get drunk, this time?"  
  
Gene laughed. "Deal!!"  
  
Fred toasted Gene with his teacup. They each took sips of their tea, and settled back in their chairs. "So, tell me," Fred began, "How is it going, trying to reach the Galactic Leyline? Without the MacDougal brothers informing the Kay pirates of your every move, you must be feeling much more free."  
  
"Yeah," Gene agreed. "Actually, we've got everything we need except the Leyline's coordinates. Mel's gonna ask Harry if he knows anything about them, or if he knows anyone else who might..."  
  
"Well, you can expect that anyone who knows the coordinates won't give them easily," Fred said, sipping his tea. "The only people I can think of as knowing the coordinates would be the Kay pirates, but you can't just ask them..."  
  
"No kidding," Gene muttered.  
  
Fred smiled. "I'll check with my contacts, and see if anyone knows anything, or has heard any rumors. I might be able to turn up something."  
  
"You're great, Fred," Gene said. "I don't know anyone else except for Jim and Mel who can stand me for this long."  
  
"Well, I'm a little different..."  
  
"And it doesn't bother me at all."  
  
"Not even when I act different?"  
  
Gene wrinkled his nose. "Well... we'll see. Maybe we can work that out, right?"  
  
Fred nodded. "Of course."  
  
"I'm gonna be leaving soon, though," Gene sighed. "I still need to pay back the space port at Sentinal Three for when I destroyed their launching pad."  
  
"Well..." Fred thought for a moment. Then he grinned. "Let's just make the best of the time we have, right?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
---  
  
Harry sat up in his bed. It had been three days since Melfina had removed the virus from his shoulder, and he was feeling better than he ever had. He flexed his right arm. The ring finger was still immobile.  
  
"Oh! You're up!"  
  
Harry turned around at Melfina's surprised exclamation. He gave her a bright smile. "Hello, Melfina! How are you?"  
  
Melfina smiled shyly. "I'm fine... how are you?"  
  
"Much better, now you're here." Melfina blushed. Harry thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. "Is it time for me to eat, yet?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," Melfina said. "But we're going to let you go."  
  
Harry blinked. "Let me go?"  
  
Melfina touched the firewall surrounding Harry. It flared once, and disappeared. Harry jumped, feeling the access of his real body coming back to him.  
  
"You can move, now," Melfina said, smiling. "Disconnect yourself from the computer."  
  
Harry did so, as if in reflex. Immediately, he could see the bright colors of the real world. Gene and Asjia stood over him, determined expressions on their faces. "G-Gene Starwind? And a Gkitaro-Gkitaro?"  
  
Jim turned around in his chair. "He's awake!"  
  
Harry sat up immediately, almost absent-mindedly snapping the second set of bolts that Gene had put down to hold him in place. "Melfina?"  
  
A chair nearby turned, and Melfina stood up, removing her hand from the scanner. "How are you feeling?" she asked.  
  
Harry stared up at her, his eyes bright. "Wonderful," he said, slowly shaking his head. "I've never felt better."  
  
Melfina pressed her hand against Harry's forehead. "Are you sure?"  
  
"Positive. Except for my arm." He lifted his right hand to show Melfina that it still was not working properly.  
  
"I can take care of that," Jim said, walking over. "Just as long as you behave."  
  
Harry blinked. "Behave?"  
  
"Yeah," Gene spoke up. "That means no trying to kill me or kidnap Melfina."  
  
"You have my promise," Harry announced. "You don't have to fear me."  
  
"I was never afraid of *you* in the first place," Asjia sniffed. "But if you touch Jim or Melfina, you're going to feel the wrath of the Gkitaro-Gkitaro!"  
  
Melfina giggled. "He's not going to hurt us, Asjia. But he *is* hungry."  
  
Gene stepped towards the kitchen. "What should we--"  
  
"Jim!" Gillium called from the computer. "Incoming message from Fred Lowe."  
  
Gene hurried over to the computer. "Bring it up, Gillium," he instructed. A moment later, Fred appeared on the computer screen.  
  
"Ah, there you are, Gene!" Fred said. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Just fine, Fred," Gene replied.  
  
"And how is Harry MacDougal?" Off to the side, Harry perked up, hearing his name.  
  
"Who's that?" Harry asked Melfina.  
  
"Fred," Melfina replied. "One of Gene's friends."  
  
"He's awake," Gene said to Fred. "No problems except for a damaged connector."  
  
Fred grinned. "Well, I'm sure James can take care of *that* with his eyes closed. I wanted to know if you would like to come over for dinner again, tonight..."  
  
Jim sighed. "This'll be the fourth time, this week," he whispered to Asjia.  
  
"...And if you would bring your friends with you, of course," Fred finished. "The cook found an *amazing* catch of lobster at the market, and I simply can't *stand* to see it go bad. Will you be here?"  
  
"With bells on," Gene replied. "You guys want to come, right?" he asked over his shoulder.  
  
"I'm in!" Asjia replied immediately. "I *like* lobster!"  
  
"Sure," Jim said.  
  
"I'm coming," Melfina agreed. She looked at Harry. "Do you want to come?" she asked.  
  
Harry blinked sadly up at her. "I don't think he would want--"  
  
"Of course, Harry MacDougal is invited, too," Fred said. "Can't leave him home alone, can you?"  
  
Melfina smiled at Harry. "So?"  
  
Harry grinned. "I'd love to."  
  
---  
  
Harry looked in all directions as he was led up to the mansion. He had seen some expensive places, but this one was an exception even among them. He was dressed in one of Gene's day-to-day outfits, which stretched becomingly across his muscles. A cloak kept away the chill wind that blew through the grounds.  
  
As was customary, before Gene could knock on the door to Fred's home, Fred rushed outside and crushed him in a bear hug. Jim sighed. Asjia snickered. Melfina giggled. Harry blinked, not sure what was going on.  
  
"...And you must be Harry," Fred said, releasing Gene and offering his hand. "It's nice to meet you." His eyes roamed over Harry's delicate face and down the line of his slim body.  
  
Harry blushed and took Fred's hand, careful not to shake too hard. He knew his own strength, and it was easy to overdo. "...You too," he said.  
  
Fred nodded, and ushered them all inside.  
  
---  
  
Harry took in the splendor of Fred's dining room appreciatively. Travelling with Ron, he had been exposed to many expensive restraunts and upper-class gatherings. This dining room was reminiscent of many of those, but much more relaxed. Fred chatted with the servants as they brought in the before-dinner drinks.  
  
"Is there a particular kind of wine you like?" Fred asked Harry. "Ale?"  
  
Harry glanced at Melfina, nervous about the hospitality he was being shown. He was sure Ron had once told him about the 'last meal,' and the thought made him uneasy. "I don't think I can..."  
  
"How old are you?" Fred asked. "Surely you're old enough for at least a light brandy."  
  
"...Almost nineteen," Harry admitted. "I don't drink much... I really shouldn't."  
  
"A brandy it is," Fred announced. "Do relax. You look like you're going to jump out of your skin, and that *can't* be healthy." He grinned and nodded to a servant to bring in the specified drink.  
  
At the expression Harry made, Melfina put a hand over her mouth to cover a girlish giggle. "Juice," she said, when the servant asked her for her preference.  
  
Fred seated each of them around the table before taking his place at the end of the table between Gene and Harry. Melfina sat on Harry's other side, and Asjia next to her. Jim sat across from Melfina, next to Gene.  
  
There was a small silence as Harry slowly settled in. Under the table, he flexed the fingers of his right hand. He still could not believe Jim's skill and quickness during his repairs, but was glad of it.  
  
Melfina did not like the quiet. "So," she said, to Fred. "How's business?"  
  
"Ah!" Fred was glad for the ice-breaker. "It's wonderful, thank you. Cargo shipments are moving in and out like clockwork. I'm funding a drilling rigg over in Iota Bootes that my geologists tell me will unearth a pocket of crude oil the size of Titus. I expect word back from them any day now."  
  
"That's great," Gene said. "You've always got a perfect project up your sleeve. It's no wonder you're so well off." Just then, the servants entered with their dinners.  
  
"Well, I have the Lowe family brains to thank for that," Fred said modestly as the servants passed around the food. "But in this case, I was tipped off by a contact I have at Alpha Bootes. He was mining on Iota when he ran across a gas vent. He told me, and I sent over a geologist. When I got the confirmation, I bought the territory. It was just luck."  
  
"That's something Gene could use more of," Asjia smirked. "He loses money just by waking up in the morning."  
  
"Very funny, Asjia," Gene cut back.  
  
Harry stayed quiet as the conversation continued, occasionally heightened by the insults Gene traded with Asjia.  
  
"What's wrong?" Melfina asked Harry quietly.  
  
"Mel... when are you guys just going to bump me off?" Harry whispered back. "Gene doesn't like me... Jim doesn't like me... All this cheerfulness is making me nervous."  
  
"Bump you off?"  
  
"Kill me," Harry said flatly. "Isn't this my big 'last meal?'"  
  
"Of course not!" Melfina gasped. "Everyone deserves a second chance." She smiled. "This is yours."  
  
"You mean it?" Harry asked. His eyes brightened. "I get a second chance?"  
  
"M-hm!" Melfina nodded with a sunny smile. "Gene agreed, just as long as you don't get into trouble again."  
  
Harry looked down at his food. "I don't know... I'm an outlaw, Mel... I don't know what I can do. I'd have to start all over..."  
  
"But you can do that!" Melfina told him. "You can!" Harry did not quite look convinced. "Maybe if you ask Fred," Melfina suggested. "He might be able to find you a job."  
  
Harry wrinkled his nose. "I don't know," he said doubtfully, stealing a glance at Fred. "He... kind of makes me nervous. Did you see the way he was looking at me?" Melfina giggled, and Harry raised an eyebrow. "What...? Oh...oh!" he exclaimed as it dawned on him. His cheeks colored slightly. "Sorry... I didn't realize..."  
  
"That's okay," Melfina said. "He really is very nice."  
  
Harry nodded slowly. He was quiet for a few moments. "By the way, Mel... where *is* Ron? Gene didn't... didn't kill him, did he?"  
  
"No," Melfina said slowly. "He took out the bounty on him, though."  
  
"Ron's in jail?!" Harry burst out in a harsh whisper, not wanting to interrupt the conversation around them. "Impossible!"  
  
Melfina shook her head. "Asjia and Suzuka took him in. I saw. It was even announced over the radio."  
  
"Not a chance," Harry laughed slightly. "There's not a jail in Hayfong that could hold Ron for more than a day, unless he wanted to stay there."  
  
"...What do you mean?" Melfina asked nervously.  
  
Harry smiled at her, and took a sip of his brandy. "Ron is a bio-android. We're identical, except for our age and a few strands of DNA. If there's any sort of control panel within ten yards of Ron's cell, he can get out. Or bend the bars. He's not in jail, Mel."  
  
Melfina gulped. "Then... then he's free?"  
  
"And probably looking for me," Harry went on. "He'll go looking for Gene, first, I'm sure."  
  
"Oh, no!" Melfina gasped. "That can't--"  
  
"Melfina!" Gene said suddenly. "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's Ron," Harry said calmly. "You might have taken him in for the bounty, but he's long gone, by now."  
  
"What?!" Gene shot out of his chair. Immediately his hand was at his thigh-holster, ready to grab his gun any instant. "Was this some sort of plan, MacDougal?" he demanded. "Are you--"  
  
"No, no!" Harry waved his hands in front of him, as if fending Gene away. "I just know that there's no jail that can hold Ron, that's all! And he's probably going to come looking for you, to find out where *I* am..."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us this *sooner*?" Gene asked angrily.  
  
Jim sighed. "He was unconscious, sick, and recovering," the boy deadpanned. "And what reason would he have for bringing it up? *Think,* Gene!"  
  
"Could we all just calm down?" Fred asked nervously. "I understand there's a little bit of tension, here, but could it wait until after dinner?"  
  
Gene softened considerably. He sighed, and composed himself. "You're right," he said, sitting back down. "But now I've got *him* to worry about again." He grumbled, and speared a vegetable with his fork.  
  
"Ron won't come looking for you if I don't tell him where you are," Harry offered. "It's the least I can do, for all you've done for me."  
  
"You'd do that?" Melfina asked him. "Would you really?"  
  
Harry smiled fondly at her. "Of course, Mel. Anything for you."  
  
Melfina blushed. "Thank you, Harry."  
  
Fred raised an eyebrow.  
  
---  
  
"Uhmmm..."  
  
"Mmm..."  
  
"Mm...Mmmm!!!"  
  
Fred broke away from Gene just long enough to catch his breath. Then he tackled the other man, sending them both sprawling on his bed.  
  
"Oof!!" Gene gasped. "Damn, Fred... for someone who lives the kinda life you do, you sure play rough!"  
  
"Sorry," Fred apologized. "I can lighten up, if you want..."  
  
"Mm, no," Gene said, pulling him down. "I just wasn't expecting it, that's all." He rubbed his hand over Fred's back. "I'll be ready, next time."  
  
They lay quietly in Fred's bed for a few minutes, just breathing and enjoying each other's company. Then Fred arched his neck to rub his nose against Gene's jaw.  
  
Gene smiled. "What's up, Fred?"  
  
"Well... I was just wondering if you had been watching Harry and Melfina."  
  
"Hm? Probably not nearly as much as you were watching Harry," Gene sighed. "He looked like he wanted to sink into the floor the way you were staring at him... Why?"  
  
Fred smiled, even though Gene could not see him. "Can't you tell? They like each other."  
  
"What?!"  
  
Fred chuckled. "Harry hardly took his eyes off of her all night, and she was a bit more withdrawn than usual, didn't you notice?"  
  
"Well..." Gene frowned. "She's just nervous about having him running loose. That's probably all it is."  
  
"And would that make her blush at every third thing he said?" Fred countered. "She probably doesn't even realize it, yet. Poor thing. Do you know how old she is, Gene?"  
  
Gene thought for a moment. "Probably about seventeen, maybe eighteen."  
  
Fred nodded against Gene's shoulder. "It makes sense, then. They're both teenagers, and bio-androids are sufficiently rare enough that they may have never met others like themselves before... both are good-looking... and they *have* been through a lot together."  
  
"He tried to kidnap her!" Gene exclaimed. He shook his head. "No... I don't think so. Mel's... I don't think Mel's interested. I mean, when I... nevermind."  
  
Fred chuckled. "Struck out with your navigator?" he teased. "Pity. I though the captain always got his way."  
  
Gene poked Fred lightly in the side. "Very funny, Freddie-boy. I didn't want to push her. And see if I don't 'captain' you!" He suddenly flipped Fred over and started tickling his ribs and stomach. "I'll get my way, this time!!"  
  
"Gene!" Fred laughed, trying to fight off Gene's fingers. "Ah-ahhh!! Ge~ene!!" He kicked and thrashed about until his hand came in contact with a pillow. "HA!!"  
  
*WHOMP!!*  
  
Gene was stunned by the sudden faceful of fiber-fill. Not to be outdone, he quickly grabbed for a pillow of his own, and renewed his attack.  
  
"To battle!!" he shouted, grinning madly. "Pillage the village and steal the sheep! Take no prisoners!!"  
  
Out in the hall, the guards on either side of Fred's door blushed heavily. They looked at one another, nodded, and moved a few paces down either side of the hall until they could no longer hear the yelps and howls from their employer's room.  
  
Fred fought back with all his might. He was strong, but Gene's years of fighting had made him much stronger. Soon Fred fell back on the bed, panting. He gazed seductively up at Gene, his chest heaving. "...Not even really, really *willing* prisoners?" he breathed.  
  
Gene thought for a moment. "Well," he murmured, leaning over Fred. "...I think I can make an exception."  
  
---  
---  
  



	8. Part Eight

Experienced Outlaw Star fans:  
  
Allow me to beg your forgiveness. This is my first OS fanfiction, and as of yet, unfinished. The characters are as I see them, having only watched the series twice through. If you don't like the way I spell the names, that's your problem.  
  
This is a alternate time line fic, which means it does not follow the time line set by the actual series. Actually, it follows a similar time line, but at some point it breaks off into a paradox and becomes a different story entirely.  
  
---  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the pictures in my head. Original characters do belong to me.  
  
Warning: As of yet, this is an alternate time line fic, with yaoi (m/m), het (m/f), and humor. Small dashes of sap, language and angst thrown in for good measure. Pairings--wouldn't you just like to know? This fic reaches into the very edges of lime, but do not expect any lemons. If you don't know what that means, email me and expect to be embarrassed. Underage people are drinking--don't try this at home!  
  
Author: Kasey  
  
Archive: Not unless I send it to you.  
  
Status: Incomplete, self-edited.  
  
Key: /italics/ and *emphasis*  
  
---  
  
"At a Minute or Two 'Till Two, Today"  
  
---  
  
-Part Eight-  
  
---  
  
Ronald MacDougal sat in an old apartment, thinking. He was sprawled across a very comfortable day-bed. One he would never have bought. Harry's.  
  
"Gene Starwind..." Ron pressed a few keys on the computer he had nearby. A picture of Gene and Jim came up. Ron glared at it. "I'll get you..."  
  
A few more keys were pressed. A picture of a young man with bright eyes and long, sea-green hair appeared, to cover the first. He was posing for the camera and smiling seductively. Always vain.  
  
"...For what you did to Harry!!" Ron growled. He clenched his fist against the keyboard, crushing two keys. He sighed, and typed in another command.  
  
"Hey, Ron! Here I am! How's it going, big brother? Another perfect mission?" Ron settled back and listened to the recording Harry had made years earlier. "You know I hate it when you're gone so long. Yeah, okay, I miss you. Are you taking care of the /El'Dorado/, for me? Don't scratch the paint job. And don't get into any fights without me. I fixed up the /Shangri'la/ for you, real nice. Are you coming home soon? Make sure to call first, so I'll know to clean up and do the dishes. Yeah, I know. 'And chill a bottle of wine.' I'll see if I can find a nice one for you. Well, I'd better let you off the hook. See you later, big brother!"  
  
The message was punctuated by another picture of Harry, grinning and holding up two fingers in a "V-for-victory" sign. As independent as outlaws were, the two MacDougal brothers were very close. Sometimes they even missed each other. Harry had made the recording and sent it to Ron after the elder brother had been gone for almost four months. Ron, normally unsentimental, had kept the file and played it back whenever he was away.  
  
Ron gazed at the picture for a few minutes.  
  
"I'm sorry, Harry," he whispered. "I shoulda gone with you. I shouldn't have even let you come... Damn!!" he cried, hitting his hand against the bed. He let his head fall into his other hand and he closed his eyes. "So sorry, Harry..."  
  
---  
  
"Melfina suggested... that I ask you for a job," Harry said nervously, standing in front of Fred's desk.  
  
"Well," Fred said, sitting back and rubbing at the lobe of his right ear, "I might be able to arrange for something. What can you do?"  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow, fidgeting slightly. He was still unsure of what to think of Fred, or of trying to settle into a respectable lifestyle. The fact that Gene was hovering protectively behind Fred's chair was not helping, either. "...Do?"  
  
Fred smiled. "What skills do you have? Computers? Mathematics?"  
  
"Computers." Harry nodded. He looked around the room as he thought about what specifically he *knew* how to do. "Um... I cook. I'm good at hacking. What are good skills?" he asked. "I don't know!"  
  
"Hm." Fred thought for a moment. Then he leaned forward and typed away at his computer for a few seconds. He looked back at Harry. "How are you at communications? Transferring messages?"  
  
"Communications?" Harry's face lit up. "Great! I can set up a messaging system from here to Cygnus and back again!"  
  
Fred nodded. "And at what sort of price?"  
  
"How far do you want it to go? And how detailed?"  
  
"How about to twenty of the largest ports on this side of the Centauri system? And all of the area in between." Fred stretched his neck and clasped his hands in front of him, on the desk. "Business transactions, Harry," he said. "I want to be able to conduct quick meetings, and send and receive papers in the same amount of time it would take to do the same thing, here on Hayfong."  
  
Gene shook his head slightly. What Fred was asking was a logistical nightmare. People had been trying to set up such a system for years. However, the cost of the set-up, and the later cost of transactions was more than it was worth, so the idea had been scrapped.  
  
Harry ran the figures through his head. "It would take about five hundred thousand wong for materials, another two thousand for programming, and a then lot of travelling."  
  
"How long?" Fred asked.  
  
"About four months, including travel time. Six at the very most."  
  
Fred grinned triumphantly. "If I were to hire a professional to set up such a system for me, it would cost over three million wong, and take nearly a year." Behind him, Gene raised an eyebrow, surprised. Fred sat back. "So, you're hired."  
  
Harry gaped. "I-I am?"  
  
"Absolutely. I'll give you a thousand wong to start off as a new employee, plus five hundred wong per week until you're done." As he spoke, he was typing commands into his computer. "I'm opening an account and placing seven hundred thousand wong in it for the expenses of the operation. You can pull out the money as you need it. The account password is..." He spoke as he typed. "M-e-l-f-i-n-a. Melfina."  
  
"Oh!" Harry's eyes went wide. He blushed and looked down at the floor.  
  
Fred glanced up at Gene smugly, who nodded.  
  
"...I'll expect constant reports on your progress," Fred went on. "I wish you good luck."  
  
"So... so that's it?" Harry asked. "I walk in, I get a job? Don't I have to sign a commitment, or something?" He frowned. "You know who I am. Why don't you think I'll take the money and leave?"  
  
Fred smiled. "The account password is 'Melfina,'" he said. "Use it wisely!"  
  
---  
  
"He gives me the creeps," Harry mumbled, chopping onions.  
  
Melfina turned to him and tilted her head. "Fred?"  
  
"Yeah. Him and Gene."  
  
Melfina thought for a moment. "Well, you got the job..."  
  
"But... it's such an easy job!" Harry exclaimed. "I used to set up stuff like this for Ron, all the time..." He stopped. "Ron..." Melfina put her hand on his shoulder softly, and gave him an understanding smile. Harry sighed. "And it's only four or five months... and then I'm out again."  
  
"Maybe by then, Fred will have a more permanent job for you," Jim said, walking into the kitchen. "Or you can hire out to set up communications for other companies. Wow! It smells good in here."  
  
"It's Harry's recipe," Melfina said. She cracked open the oven door, and the aroma of roasting chickens in spices came wafting out.  
  
Jim sighed, breathing in the scent of their dinner. "Gosh... you're a good cook. How's the arm doing?"  
  
"Just great," Harry replied. He flexed his bionic arm. "Feels like new."  
  
Jim hopped up on the counter, away from where Harry was now mincing garlic. "Whatcha making now?"  
  
"Pasta," Melfina answered. "With onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Harry says it's very good."  
  
Harry fidgeted at being creditted with all of the recipes. "...Ron always likes eating gourmet food, so I picked up a little stuff..."  
  
"Hey," Jim cut in. "*Anything* is better than what we eat when Gene or Asjia cooks. We should be thanking you."  
  
Harry shook his head. Melfina smiled.  
  
"I ran some tests on that virus," Jim went on. "Actually, I managed to create a sort of anti-virus, so if it ever shows up again, we can get rid of it."  
  
"So what was it?" Melfina asked.  
  
"It was the basic 'conquer and destroy' virus," Jim said, shrugging. "Only a lot stronger than the kind you find being passed around through cyberspace. After it 'conquered' Harry's system, it turned him onto the 'destroy' mode, so he went crazy. Nothing much else."  
  
Melfina glanced over, and noticed that Harry had stopped moving. "Harry?" she asked quietly.  
  
Harry turned his head to look at her. "Am I bad, Melfina?" he asked her. "Or is Ron bad? Can I blame it all on the virus? Or are either of us bad? Me and Ron?"  
  
Jim watched, confused by Harry's words. Then he realized that Harry was feeling guilty for some of the things he had done before the virus was removed. Jim nodded to himself. It made sense.  
  
Melfina shook her head. "I don't know," she said softly, placing her hand on top of his. "Maybe he doesn't either. It's up to you." She looked up, and brown eyes met violet.  
  
Harry looked down into Melfina's eyes. "Ah, Melfina," he whispered. "Mel..."  
  
Jim raised an eyebrow. This was something new!  
  
"Jim!" Gene's voice rang out from the doorway. "I'm back!"  
  
Melfina and Harry broke away from each other and resumed their tasks quickly, both blushing furiously. Jim jumped off the counter.  
  
"I'm right here!" Jim called back, running out of the kitchen. "How'd the job go?"  
  
"Like clockwork," Gene yawned, stretching. He handed an envelope to Jim. "Two hundred wong, plus a bonus for getting the job done early. Makes me wonder when our luck's gonna run out."  
  
Jim snorted. "As soon as we get back on the road to the Leyline. Maybe we should just give it up."  
  
"Give up the Leyline?" Melfina asked, walking out to join them. "Don't... Don't do that!"  
  
Gene lay a hand on her shoulder. "We won't, Mel. Don't worry."  
"Oh, that's right!' Jim exclaimed. "Sorry, Mel... I forgot about you, and Gillium..."  
  
"That's okay," Melfina said. "I'm just curious, that's all. I don't even know how to get there."  
  
"Neither does anyone else," Gene said. "Fred couldn't find anyone with a lead on the coordinates."  
  
"To the Leyline?" Harry asked, wiping his hands on a dishcloth as he walked out of the kitchen. "I know."  
  
"You know the coordinates to the Galactic Leyline?!" Gene and Jim shouted together.  
  
Harry blinked. "Well, no... but I know someone who does."  
  
---  
  
"This is the place, huh?" Gene asked, looking up at an old mansion. "This guy knows the coordinates of the Galactic Leyline?"  
  
"*She*," Harry corrected. "*She* knows the coordinates."  
  
"Great. What should I expect when I ask her for them?"  
  
Harry shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. Ron told me she's a witch."  
  
"Like the Kay pirates?" Jim asked.  
  
"Sort of." Harry looked up at the mansion as they walked to the door. "It's the same sort of Tao magic... except it's more of a hobby than a lifestyle."  
  
"I hope you're right," Melfina said softly. Harry offered her his hand, and she accepted it. Behind them, Asjia giggled and Gene grumbled.  
  
As they stepped towards the door, it swung open. "Come right in!!" came a smooth, cheery voice. "I'll be right there!"  
  
Harry nodded to Gene, and led Melfina inside. The mansion was dark, and smelled like spices. The only light came from near a stairwell to their left. Jim followed. Then Asjia, and finally Gene. The door closed softly behind them. Gene tested it, and found that it did not lock.  
  
"Of course it doesn't lock," said the same voice. "Why would I want it to lock? If I went outside, and forgot my keys, I might not be able to get in again!"  
  
"Who's there?" Gene demanded.  
  
"I am." They all turned in the direction of the voice. Standing by the stairwell was a blond girl no older than Melfina, smiling at them. "Welcome to my house," she said. "My name is Saffron. Why are you here?"  
  
Gene frowned. This girl couldn't possibly be a Tao master, could she?  
  
"Of course I can," she said. Gene gulped. She could read his mind!  
  
Harry stepped forward, into the light. He bowed. "Pleased to meet you," he said, remembering what Ron had told him about addressing Tao magicians.  
  
"Oh!" Saffron exclaimed, templing her fingers. "You must be Harry MacDougal, Ron's brother! How wonderful!"  
  
Harry straightened. "How do you know that? I didn't--"  
  
"Think it? Say it?" Saffron asked. "No. But you look just like him. And your eyes are the same color. Violet-red is such a rare color, especially among bio-androids, but so pretty... He was here just a day ago."  
  
"Then he really is out of jail!" Jim exclaimed. "No way!"  
  
"Are you looking for the coordinates of the Galactic Leyline, too?" Saffron asked, blinking large, yellow eyes.  
  
Melfina stepped forward to join Harry. "Yes."  
  
Saffron clapped her hands together. "Oh! And you must be Melfina! It's so nice to meet you!" she laughed. She jumped forward and clasped Melfina's hand. "Do you really plan to go to the Galactic Leyline? Do you really?"  
  
Gene joined them. "Yeah," he said. "And we need the coordinates."  
  
Saffron frowned and held up two fingers. "Do not ask," she said firmly, "Or I will not tell."  
  
"Huh?" Gene snorted. "What does *that* mean?"  
  
Harry realized that Gene was going to ruin their opportunity any moment. He stepped forward. "Saffron, I would like to talk to you," he said quickly. "About my brother."  
  
Saffron's face brightened again. "Of course! Please come upstairs, and we will all talk!" She turned and ran up the stairs. When she got to the landing, she turned around again. "Hurry!"  
  
---  
---  
  



	9. Part Nine

Experienced Outlaw Star fans:  
  
Allow me to beg your forgiveness. This is my first OS fanfiction, and as of yet, unfinished. The characters are as I see them, having only watched the series twice through. If you don't like the way I spell the names, that's your problem.  
  
This is a alternate time line fic, which means it does not follow the time line set by the actual series. Actually, it follows a similar time line, but at some point it breaks off into a paradox and becomes a different story entirely.  
  
---  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing except the pictures in my head. Original characters do belong to me.  
  
Warning: As of yet, this is an alternate time line fic, with yaoi (m/m), het (m/f), and humor. Small dashes of sap, language and angst thrown in for good measure. Pairings--wouldn't you just like to know? This fic reaches into the very edges of lime, but do not expect any lemons. If you don't know what that means, email me and expect to be embarrassed. Underage people are drinking--don't try this at home!  
  
Author: Kasey  
  
Archive: Not unless I send it to you.  
  
Status: Incomplete, self-edited.  
  
Key: /italics/ and *emphasis*  
  
---  
  
"At a Minute or Two 'Till Two, Today"  
  
---  
  
-Part Nine-  
  
---  
  
"He was very nice, very polite, just like you," Saffron said. They were sitting around a short, round table and sipping black tea. "He wanted to know where he could find the Galactic Leyline. But he didn't ask," she giggled, and winked at Gene. "He never asked me any questions!"  
  
"I don't get her," Gene whispered to Jim. "Why can't we ask her anything?"  
  
Jim leaned over to whisper a reply. "Prolly 'cause she can read our minds. Maybe she doesn't like the question repeated over and over again."  
  
"You're very smart, Jim," Saffron said. "Would you like to know the coordinates to the Leyline, too?"  
  
Jim started. "Uh... yes!"  
  
"What do you want at the Leyline? Why do you want to go there?" Saffron asked. "It's dangerous. But you know that, don't you?"  
  
"I want to go, so I can find out who I really am," Melfina said. She took a small sip of her tea.  
  
Saffron nodded.  
  
"And we're taking her there," Gene added. "I promised to help her find out about herself."  
  
"And you think the Leyline will tell you?" Saffron asked. "Do you know what the Leyline is? Of course not. No one knows what the Leyline is. It hasn't been opened in fifty thousand years, according to the human calendar."  
  
"How long is that in Gkitaro-Gkitaro years?" Asjia asked. Saffron did not answer. Asjia's ears drooped. "Oops."  
  
"About twenty thousand years, I think," Jim answered quickly.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Saffron took a sip of her tea and continued talking. "Everyone who remembers the Leyline when it was new, is now dead. Only memories of those people live on, passed subconsciously down through the ages. That is how the rumor of the Galactic Leyline began."  
  
"Is that so?" Gene wondered. "Just a rumor? And they never figured that it would be real."  
  
"We were talking about Ron," Saffron said, turning back to Harry. "He's very worried about you." Harry nodded. "Aren't you going back to see him? He promised me that he would hunt Gene Starwind down. And kill him."  
  
Melfina gasped. "Oh, no!! He can't do that!"  
  
Saffron giggled. "He won't kill Gene, Melfina! You don't have to worry."  
  
Harry gulped. "Maybe he won't get Gene..." He stopped and looked at Melfina. She had relaxed slightly after Saffron had assured her that Ron would not kill Gene. "But someone else..."  
  
"Ron has gone to look for the Galactic Leyline," Saffron said. "He will not kill anyone." She made a gesture with two of the fingers on her left hand, and a platter of /nori/ appeared in front of them. "Please try them," she offered. "They really are very good."  
  
"Ron went to the Leyline!" Harry gasped. "But he said we'd go together..."  
  
Saffron picked up a /nori/ roll with a long pair of chopsticks, and handed it to Harry. "He has not gone, yet. He had to make some arrangements, first. A small funeral, he said." She giggled. "He wanted to have a funeral!"  
  
Harry's eyes went wide and he dropped the /nori/ roll. "What...? Oh, no! Ron! Ron thinks I'm dead!" he cried. Melfina lay a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. He relaxed, but only a little. "Oh, no... Mel, I've gotta go find him! He thinks I'm dead!"  
  
"Ron thinks that the Galactic Leyline will grant all of his wishes," Saffron said, sighing happily. She made gestures in the air. "Can you imagine? Power? Money? That is what people always wish for. But I... I would wish for tea," she said. "I can never have enough tea! Power is boring, and I prefer my privacy. Money is boring, too. All it does is buy stuff to clutter up my house. But tea... tea is relaxing. Would you like some more?"  
  
"...Grants all of his wishes..." Gene murmured. "What would he wish for?" He was careful not to aim the question at Saffron, who giggled and winked at him.  
  
"I know what I would wish for," Asjia said, munching on a /nori/ roll. "Glory for the Gkitaro-Gkitaro Empire! And a ship back home," she added, glaring at Gene.  
  
"Hey, it wasn't my fault you got stuck out in the middle of nowhere," Gene bit back.  
  
Saffron giggled again. "You're all so funny!" she laughed. "Nobody comes here to talk with me! All they want are my answers." She wiggled a little in her seat and grinned at them. "I will give you the coordinates to the Galactic Leyline," she announced, "To thank you for talking with me, and sharing tea."  
  
Melfina's face lit up happily. "Thank you!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Here," Saffron said. She pulled at one of the pendants hanging around her neck. It came off in her hand. She made a 'V' with the first two fingers of her left hand, and passed them under the pendant. She made a snatching motion with that hand, and then opened it again to show them a copy of the pendant. "Melfina, you and Gillium can decipher the coordinates from the information in here," she said. "Use it well!"  
  
"But..." Harry began, "Isn't there anything you want, in return? A price for this?"  
  
Saffron giggled. "Do not ask," she chirped, "Or I will not tell! But if you must know... your talking with me was enough. You and Ron were the first *real* visitors I've had in years. The coordinates mean nothing to me. I do not pilot a ship. I do not want to leave Hayfong. It is *I* who have gotten the better end of the deal."  
  
"If you say so," Gene said.  
  
---  
  
Fred was standing at his window again, looking out at the reflection of Hayfong's three moons in the lake. It was so rare that you saw all three on the same night, especially on a clear night. Usually he would lie out by the lake for hours, watching them pass overhead at differing speeds.  
  
A knock came at the door. "Come in," Fred said, his voice flat.  
  
Gene opened the door slowly, and poked his head inside. All he could see was Fred's back. "It's me, Fred," he said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.  
  
"Came to say good-bye?" If Fred's tone had been any sharper, it would have frozen the room.  
  
Gene gulped. He looked down at the floor. "...Yeah. Sorry, Fred."  
  
Fred continued staring out the window. "*Every* time, Gene," he muttered. "*Every* time I get close to you, you just up and jump away again..."  
  
Gene shook his head. "Fred... It's not like that."  
  
Fred sighed, and his shoulders slumped. He walked around the room, staring at the floor, until he reached Gene. He slid his arms under Gene's and hugged him firmly. Gene returned the gesture, with one hand reaching up to tangle in Fred's blue-black hair.  
  
"I knew you'd be leaving again," Fred said, his words muffled by Gene's shoulder. "I just wish..."  
  
"Ah, I'll be back," Gene interrupted softly. "I'm taking your newest employee with me. Consider that my promise: I owe you one communications engineer. Okay?" He lifted Fred's chin so he could look into his eyes. "And I always repay my debts."  
  
Fred laughed faintly. "Yes, yes you do, Gene." He nuzzled Gene's jaw. "You usually never give me a chance to wish you good luck..."  
  
"I usually don't spend five nights a week in your bed, either," Gene said. He grinned. "Times are changing. I don't mind."  
  
"Neither do I..."  
  
"Fred?"  
  
"When are you leaving, Gene?"  
  
"In the morning. It'll take us about a week to get there, if we're not bogged down by pirates or Ron MacDougal."  
  
Fred nodded. "Can you stay, then?" he asked. "Just for a little while?"  
  
Gene smiled. "That's why I came, Freddie-boy. I don't want a instant message, three days from now." He kissed Fred's forehead. "I want to say good-bye properly."  
  
---  
  
Melfina took out the trash. It was a nightly chore, because the seafood they used in cooking tended to rot overnight, and smell awful in the morning. Just as she was about to step inside, she saw Harry sitting out by the street. "Harry?"  
  
Harry jumped, but only slightly. He turned around. "Melfina?"  
  
Melfina smiled and walked over to him. "What's wrong, Harry? Why are you out here?"  
  
Harry looked up at the sky. "There goes another one," he said, pointing to a streak of light in the atmosphere.  
  
Melfina looked up. "A ship?"  
  
Harry stood. "M-hm. Do you think he's gone, yet?" He turned to Melfina, and reached for her hands. "He's my brother, Mel. I... We would never have said it, but..." He stopped and sighed, pulling Melfina closer. "Mel... you and he are the world... the *universe*, to me. You're everything. I never had parents, just Ron. He's my best friend, Mel..."  
  
Melfina allowed Harry to pull her into his arms. She was warmed as she leaned against his chest. "Harry..."  
  
Harry looked down, burying his nose in her black hair. "Mel?"  
  
Melfina looked up. She smiled softly, looking into Harry's eyes. "You'll see him again. He's looking for you, right?"  
  
Harry nodded. "Yes."  
  
"Has he ever let you down?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "Never," he said.  
  
Melfina felt herself hugging Harry. "So you have nothing to worry about," she concluded. "We're all heading to the Leyline... maybe we'll meet him, there."  
  
"Mel..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"He'll want me to come back with him." Harry ran his fingers through Melfina's hair. "But I don't want to leave you."  
  
Melfina squirmed slightly. "I... I understand, Harry. But if you want to go..."  
  
Harry shook his head. "No, no Mel... I've got a commitment to Fred... I want to be with you... but I want to go back with Ron, too."  
  
Melfina gently pulled away from Harry. She held one of his hands between her smaller hands, and started leading him back to the house. "We'll figure it out, Harry," she said. "But let's not worry about it now, okay?"  
  
Harry nodded. He smiled. "Alright, Mel."  
  
---  
  
Harry watched in amazement at the elaborate preparations for the launching of the /Outlaw Star/.  
  
"Mel... I thought you controlled the ship," he asked at one point during the process.  
  
Melfina smiled. "I do! I'm going in, now," she said. "I'll be back out in a little while."  
  
"Back out?"  
  
Melfina laughed and nodded. A lid on the floor popped open, and she stepped over, to the platform that was uncovered. "I'm ready, Gillium," she said.  
  
Harry watched as the floor opened beneath Melfina, taking her down. He then gaped in amazement as that part of the floor rose up again, a tube connecting all the way to the ceiling. Harry ran from aft to fore in time to see the tube open. "Melfina!"  
  
Melfina opened her eyes. /Hello, Harry,/ her voice came through. /This is how I can control the /Outlaw Star/./  
  
Harry was trying not to look at Melfina's body, which was somewhat exposed by the connection tube. "So, now what happens?" he asked her.  
  
"Grab a seat," Jim said from up front. "There's one in the back, just behind Melfina. Buckle in. You'll be able to walk around again after we're on the move."  
  
Gene jumped up into the captain's seat. He picked up the targeting apparatus and fitted it over his head so that it was easily accessible in case of an attack. "Hey, Mel," he called, "How are things looking?"  
  
/All systems: green,/ Melfina replied. /Is everyone set?/  
  
"I'm here," Jim said. "We've got launch clearance!"  
  
"Everything looks good from my end," Suzuka spoke up, checking the controls from where she sat.  
  
Asjia gave Jim a thumbs-up. "Ready and waiting!"  
  
/Harry?/  
  
"All ready, Mel," Harry replied.  
  
"How about you, Gene?" Gillium asked. "Are you buckled in?"  
  
Gene's face drooped. He grumbled and pulled the shoulder straps in place. "Happy?"  
  
/Much better!/ Melfina giggled.  
  
"Fine. Let's go treasure hunting!!"  
  
---  
---  
  
End Book I  
  
---  
---  
  
I want to thank all of my readers, especially everyone on the OutlawStarML who encouraged me to keep writing!  
  
I know this does seem to wrap it up, but I do have plans for the Galactic Leyline, Ron, and even the Kay pirates. Until then, thank you all!  
  
KASEY 


End file.
